Precious Moments
by bubbles526
Summary: A series of some of the moments we have missed while our favorite couple have been out of sight.  Rated M just in case.
1. Doubts

_***I've been MIA for a while…but am looking forward to Bones returning in a few weeks! I thought I would try to do a few short scenes that we have missed from our favorite duo. Feel free to comment or leave suggestions. I don't own Bones or the characters, of course.* **_

**Doubts**

"Bones!" Booth swung open the door to his apartment. He kicked the door close behind him as he flung his leather jacket over the back of the couch and walked quickly through the living room looking for his partner.

It had been a hell of a day. The Squint Squad had ruled out the top two suspects for Booth's latest murder case. On top of that, Sweets had been on Booth's last nerve all afternoon. It had started when he insisted on joining Booth for lunch at the Diner. Booth just wanted to run in, grab a quick lunch a few minutes of peace to think for himself. The past week working without Bones allowed in the field should have made him feel more relaxed, without having to worry about her and the baby's safety. Instead, he found himself second guessing himself and spending too much of his time trying to check up on where his partner was and what she was doing without him. It wasn't a lack of trust; he simply missed being with her and having her with him for much of every day. It was almost as if he was having to work with a part of his own body missing—amputated, but still with the ghost feeling present.

"Yo Bones! Where are you?" Booth called out.

"I'm back here," replied Brennan.

Booth walked into their bedroom. Brennan was laying on the bed, propped with all of the pillows and held the remote control in one hand. Booth raised one eyebrow and cocked his head to one side, confused. Bones didn't watch TV in the middle of the afternoon…not unless he or Parker were home with her and insisting.

"Hey Bones. Are you okay?" Booth walked over to his side of the bed and sat down, propping one leg on the mattress.

Bones sighed. "I'm fine Booth." She clicked the remote and changed the channel. The pair stared at the screen, watching the end of the commercial.

Booth leaned over and gently pried the remote from Brennan's hands and turned off the television set. He took one finger and stroked her cheek down to her jaw and turned her to face him. "What's the matter Bones?"

"Why do you think something is the matter Booth?"

"Because you just spent 24 seconds enthralled with a magic screen door maker info-mercial. Why are you laying here watching what Pops likes to call the "Boob Tube"?"

"I did not watch any shows that featured or focused on the mammary glands of the female species, Booth."

"That is not what it refers to Bones."

Brennan sighed. She closed her eyes and leaned her forehead onto Booth's chest.

"Angela asked me to go and pick up Michael from day care today."

Booth moved his arm to wrap around her shoulders and hold her to him, gently rubbing her back while listening. "Okay. What happened?"

"One of the assistants was changing him and two of the toddlers had a mild episode involving their two activity walkers and a new couple came in for a tour with their twins."

"Alright. Sounds like it was a busy afternoon in Rugratville…"

"No, they don't have any rats, although I did see two guinea pigs but they were both in their crate." Booth rolled his eyes. It never failed to amuse him how literal his Bones could be, especially when she was upset.

"I told the director to go ahead and start the tour, and I would entertain the remaining four children until the assistant returned."

Booth nodded against her head. Seemed like something along the same thing he would have offered if he had been in the same position.

Brennan took in a deep breath and let it go shakily. "I couldn't even do that." She started to cry against his shirt.

Booth's forehead frowned, confused. He tightened his grip around her and gently started rocking her as she cried for a few minutes. Finally her tears subsided and he thought she might be able to answer his questions.

"What do you mean you couldn't do that, Bones?"

"I got a book from the shelf and told the kids to sit on the reading rug I have seen them use before when I have been to visit. I told them I was going to read them all a story.

"First one would get up and run to get a toy. Then when I asked that one to come sit down, another would go and try to bring the first one back to the rug. When I would get those two settled, the other two were already off in the corner trying to open the finger paints…"

Booth bit the inside of his bottom lip, his eyes closed. He knew he needed to not laugh or show any amusement at her story…even if it killed him.

"How can I think I could possibly take care of our daughter if I can't even manage five minutes with older children who are capable of comprehending basic commands?"

Booth reached around for Brennan's shoulders and forced her to look up at him. "Bones, no pregnant woman starts being a mom to four toddlers immediately after giving birth. You and I will have time to get to know our daughter and learn how she thinks and how she reacts to us and her surroundings."

"But what if she doesn't want to do what I plan-"

"I think, our daughter being related to us, we should definitely always have a Plan B and Plan C. Do you think it is even possible for us to create a child who would not be stubborn, or smart enough to come up with her own ideas?"

Bones thought about this for a moment. "Are you saying I should have thought of something else to entertain the children with today?"

Booth smiled and tugged her back into his arms. He tucked her head under his chin. "I wasn't there, Bones. But I'm sure the teacher at the facility knew you were offering to help and to make sure the children stayed safe. Did anyone get hurt?"

"No."

"Did the children have fun?"

"Yes-s," Bones stretched out, thinking, "but it wasn't doing what I had asked them to do."

"Okay. But they were looked after and you kept them occupied and watched over until the next responsible party arrived, correct?" Booth helped her rationalize.

"Yes."

"Alrighty then. Great Job, Bones."

"I just think that our daughter isn't going to think I'm fun or-"

Booth leaned down and stopped Brennan's sentence in a warm kiss.

"Bones, we've talked about this before. You and I have fun. Of course our daughter will have fun with you. You're her Mommy. She's going to love you. She will love to spend time with you, even doing normal everyday things, like laundry or cooking dinner."

Brennan smiled up at him. "I can remember helping my mom cook dinner."

"See?"

_Four Days Later_

Booth unlocked the door to the apartment. He and Brennan had offered to look after Russ and Amy's girls while they were in town so the couple could go to the theater and a late dinner while they were in town for the long weekend. The girls were taking their turns getting a shower and preparing for bed when Bones told him she was craving mini drumstick ice cream cones with kalamata olives.

Luckily Mr. Sanchez' corner market was still open, so Booth did not have far to go to buy Bones' late night snack. Booth put the items in the kitchen and went to ask Bones if she wanted him to bring them to her.

Booth found her in the guest room on the bed. The girls were curls up on one side of the bed, Hailey's head in the crook of Bones' arm as she held a book open, finishing the last paragraph page of their chapter book. Brennan placed the bookmark and closed the book.

"Please Aunt Tempe, just a few more pages?"

"It's time for bed now sweetheart. I'll read you another chapter tomorrow night. You need your rest so you can go to the Zoo tomorrow and tell me how the Pandas are doing."

The girls sighed in disappointment, then agreed. "Are you sure you can't join us? We really want to spend the day with you too?"

"How about if We get up early and surprise Booth with a big pancake breakfast before he goes to Sunday Mass? You can help me cook the pancakes. We can even make some with your initials."

"Really? We love pancakes! Can we have them with peanut butter and corn syrup?"

"Sure. Just don't tell your dad."

A minute later Bones was leaning over the bed giving each girl a kiss on the cheek.

"Night Aunt Tempe. Night Baby."

"Night Night Aunt Tempe. I love you. Night Baby Bones." Booth smiled at Hailey's adoption of his nickname for Bones' baby bump.

Brennan gently closed the guest bedroom door. Booth wrapped his arms around arm and pulled her close as he leaned down and kissed her cheek and nuzzled her neck.

"And who was worried they couldn't relate to children?"

Brennan smiled. "Maybe you were right."

"Maybe?" Booth turned Brennan around in his arms. He leaned down and started placing gentle kisses on her neck, her jaw line and finally her mouth. "Baby, you are going to be an amazing mom."

Brennan kissed him back. "Why are you always so sure, Booth?"

"You are a New York Times bestselling author…you are the top forensic anthropologist in the country. You've been an amazing friend, a terrific partner and a creative, caring and giving lover…why would I think you would be anything less than the best Mom when you've never failed at anything you've set your mind to do?"

Brennan shook her head and smiled. She reached up and curled her hands behind Booth's neck, pulling his face closer to hers. "Well when you put it that way, who am I to try and argue with such sound logic and reason?"

Booth chuckled as their lips met in a warm and deep kiss.


	2. Chapter 2:Elephants and Elegance

**Elephants and Elegance**

_****Mature content ahead..just a warning****_

**BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP BLEEP**

Brennan blindly reached over to the nightstand to hit the offending noisemaker. Half of the night the baby had spent seemingly standing on Brennan's kidneys. Then last night's stir fry started to give her heart burn. Finally, the constant waking and walking to and from the bathroom to relieve her bladder kept Brennan from reaching any real recordable REM sleep.

Brennan looked over her should at Booth, one arm flung over his forehead, still slightly snoring. He did not even appear to have head the annoying sounds of the alarm. Brennan shook her head in disgust. How dare he sleep when she was the one who was having to deal with the torture of pregnancy and bringing his progeny into the world.

Brennan struggled to her feet and shuffled to the bathroom. She again made her way to the toilet to relieve her bladder yet again. As she finished washing her hands she started to hear the sounds of Booth starting to move from the bed. Brennan adjusted the shower and closed the glass door, waiting for the water to heat to the desired temperature. She opened the medicine cabinet and retrieved her hair clip and messily gathered her hair into a quick twist and held it with the clip. Booth entered the bathroom then.

"Morning Bones," Booth walked by her, kissing her cheek. He reached down to rub her large protruding stomach "Morning Baby. How did my girls sleep?" Booth walked past Brennan towards the toilet for his own morning ablutions.

Bones leveled Booth's back with a dark stare. "We didn't. 'We' spent most of the night walking back and forth between our bed and the toilet…unless you count the four hours your daughter was dancing on my internal organs."

Booth stopped, his eyes closed. Crap! One of these mornings. He turned around to face Brennan. "Bones, why didn't you wake me?"

Brennan took off her sleep shirt as she dryly said, "It seemed pointless for both of us to be sleep deprived. At least one of us should be able to get a ngiht's rest. Thankfully, it was once again your lucky night." She opened the door to the shower and stood under the warm spray.

She could hear Booth move around the small bathroom. Finally she heard the door to the shower open and felt the cold air as he walked into the shower with her. He reached over and put his hands one the back of her neck, starting to massage the tense muscles there. He leaned down and placed small kisses on the back of her neck.

"I'm sorry Tempe. I just meant I would have gotten up and tried to help you relax and get some sleep."

"No…It's not your fault. You need your rest. I don't want you to lose your concentration while you are in the field. I'm just tired and feeling…fat."

"Fat?"

"Enormous. I now have a better judgement of what it must be like to be an infant elephant."

Booth chuckled in her ear. He moved his hands down her arms, massaging the muscles as he moved. "You don't look like an Elephant Bones."

Brennan let out a soft snort. "Let's take a brief inventory, shall we, Booth? My ankles are constantly swollen…"

"Your skin is more soft than ever, "Booth murmured as he nuzzled just under her right earlobe, his breathe warm and tickling her skin.

"My bladder is in constant need of relieving…"

"Your hair has gotten so long and shiny…and swings so sexily as you walk by me…" his mouth traveled to her jawline, tracing the bone towards her mouth.

"Maybe you are sleep deprived. You certainly sound delirious. My breasts hurt so much that I end up having to use ice packs at work to relieve the pain when I need to stand for more than an hour at a time."

"Mmm…they are much more than just a handful…but they are getting ready to provide nourishment for our daughter. And I have to say, you looked beautiful before, but you are just as beautiful now that there is more of you there Bones." Booth brought one hand down to gently trace the outline of one nipple, already peaking towards his touch in the spray of the water.

"I can't wear my jewelry anymore because my hands and fingers swell so much throughout the day!"

"Do you know when you think no one is looking you are always cradling our daughter? Rubbing your hands over your stomach…calming her?" Booth's hands covered her own, which were already on her stomach, rubbing gentle circles.

"My stomach is bigger every day…I don't even remember what my feet look like anymore!"

"Bones…You are beautiful. You are graceful…full of curves and glowing…everything I have ever heard that expectant mothers were supposed to be…but more. I know these last few weeks are uncomfortable for you and for the baby…but to me and everyone who sees you…we see the elegance…the beauty and the miracle of a mother creating life…not the pain and exhaustion."

Booth turned Brennan to face him, pressing her body as close to his as possible. She could feel the evidence of his arousal, proof that his words were more than just his attempt to make her feel better.

The couple kissed in the warm spray of the shower, their hands roaming over each other…Brennan's making wide circles over Booth's back until finally one hand reached up and speared into the hair at the base of his neck and pressed his mouth closer. Booth's hands started gently holding and caressing her full breasts, then glided down her wet skin to the large swell of their child. He could feel the outline of their daughter's head as he moved further down towards Brennan's hips.

They both reached for the other, Brennan finally reaching Booth's hard cock, wrapping one hand around his length while the other hand reache3d out to steady herself on top of his strong shoulder. Booth kept one hand wrapped low around her hip while the other sneaked between her thighs to find the hot moist center waiting for him there. He gently positioned first one, then two fingers deep in her center, plunging them in and out, matching the pace she was keeping on his own arousal.

"Now Booth, please make me cum now"

"Yes…cum for me baby….release and relax for me…"

Brennan leaned her head into his chest as he brought he over that final crest, moaning loadly. "God Booth! Yes! Yes…right there!"

Booth smiled as he felt her muscles clench, grabbing at his fingers as he curved them up towards her most sensitive spot. She gripped his cock even more firmly and he groaned himself as he felt his own release approach. "Yes Bones…God I love you!..."

They held each other, the water starting to cool as their breathing slowed. Booth reached over for Brennan's loofah, pouring some of her shower gel into it and using it to gently clean her skin. He finished, then turned them so she was not standing under the water, which was quickly growing too cool to be comfortable. He quickly used the loofah to clean himself and briskly rinsed. Turning off the spray,Booth reached for Brennan's towel, wrapping it around her and gently drying her skin. He reached behind her to get his own towel and quickly dried himself off, then threw the towel around his hips.

He led Brennan into the bedroom and sat her on the bed. He reached for the lotion she kept on her dresser and poured some in his hands, rubbing them together to warm it before putting it on her skin. He gently smoothed the cream on her arms, her legs and her stomach. He kneeled on the bed behind her and pulled her down, rolling her onto her side to rub the lotion onto her back, giving her back and neck a massage. Brennan moaned in relief at the pleasure of his steady and strong hands on her stiff and twisted muscles. Booth continued until finally he could hear her breathing slow and the gentle sounds of her heavy breathing. He reached down and pulled up the comforter, covering her nude body, then reached over and placed her body pillow in front of her, supporting the weight of their daughter.

He quickly dressed in jeans and a T shirt, then gently closed the bedroom door behind him as he made his way to the kitchen. As the coffee was brewing he called Cam.

"Hey, it's me. Yeah. She's going to work from home today. No, but I'll convince her when she wakes up. Yeah, you could say it was a rough night."

Booth listened for a moment before answering. I know, but do you want to try to convince her to start maternal leave early? Me either."

He reached for his coffee cup as the machine beeped its completed cycle. "Yeah, I'll be in touch, but unless you guys come up with anything new, I'm going to work from here today too. Okay, thanks. Bye _**Camille**_." Booth smiled as he put down the phone.


	3. Chapter 3:  Forgetful

_**I am not necessarily planning on following any timeline with these little snapshots. Just an FYI in case you were expecting otherwise. Hope you enjoy! I am off on Spring Break, but hope to post again in a few days! If you have any ideas or suggestions, please feel free to leave a comment. **_

**Forgetful**

Brennan struggled to get out of the Prius driver seat while grabbing for her bag. She finally gave a final tug and the strap caught on the gearshift was released. She closed the door and walked around the back of the car, locking the car as she walked briskly towards the doors to the grocery store.

As she pulled a small cart from the queue just inside the building she glanced down at her watch. Booth had left the apartment early that morning to help coach Parker's baseball practice, and was spending the day with him before bringing him home for the remainder of the weekend. Brennan had planned on having dinner prepared when the two arrived.

Angela had shared a new cookbook with Brennan that week with a time saving feature-all of the recipes were designed to be made in a Crock Pot. Angela had even brought in her own crock for Brennan to borrow. Brennan hypothesized she would prefer to prepare meals in the traditional manner, using the range on the stove top and the oven, however, given her decreasing energy as she finished her 25th week of pregnancy, she could not deny she was intrigued to test and taste the results of the meal.

It was hard to believe sometimes that she was already in her third trimester. Some days it seems like just a few weeks ago that she had told Booth the news. Other days, like today, for instance, it seemed as if she had much more time than 3 months remaining. This morning she had started off in good spirits, cleaning and preparing the vegetables and meat for the meal. However her energy quickly waned. She had sat down on the couch and ended up taking a nap.

When Brennan had awakened she could smell the Tamale casserole already. She got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen, lifting the lid to check on the progress. It seemed to looked like the instructions had shown. She checked the timer on the machine and then started gathering the ingredients to make Parker's favorite snack: white chocolate chip cookies.

Brennan sang quietly along with the music coming from the stereo as she measured and put together the cookie dough. She could remember sitting on a stool in the kitchen watching her mother mix up cookies or prepare dinner when she was younger. She smiled. Soon her own daughter would be here to keep her company in the kitchen. Brennan reached down and rubbed her stomach as she felt a gentle kick. _It would more correct to say that I already have company_, she thought to herself.

As Brennan finishing combining the flour into the batter she turned off the mixer and walked to the pantry. She cocked her head, confused. She was sure she had seen a bag of white chocolate chunks in here the other day. She started moving cans and boxes aside, trying to find the missing bag.

Irritated she started opening drawers and cabinets. It wasn't as if Booth's kitchen as _that _large of a workspace. Finally admitting defeat, Brennan slammed the last door shut. "Fine! I'll just go get some more then." She said out loud.

Brennan now stood in the middle of the produce section of the grocery store, humming softly to herself as she absently heard the soft classical music being piped into the room. She walked over to the display of mushrooms, looking over the selection. She finally found two nice looking Portobello caps and placed them into a bag for purchase. Then she walked towards the arrangement of lettuce varieties.

Brennan continued to take her time, finding some interesting items, and deciding against others. She even selected a small roasted chicken, thinking she could shred the meat and add to Booth and Parker's meals that evening, as they generally preferred their meals to include meat of some type. As she pushed her overfilled cart towards the cash registers, she could not resist stopping at the bakery display, selecting a raspberry jelly roll. Finally, at the cash register as the cashier offered to help her unload her selections she grabbed a container of gelatin based confectionaries.

'Oh my gosh, I can never resist gummy bears either!" gushed the energetic cashier as she finished placing Brennan's items on the countertop.

"My partner and his son are partial to them. I personally find them detrimental to my dental work and a source of empty caloric intake," Brennan replied.

"Oh." The cashier quickly started ringing up Brennan's purchases without making too many additional comments.

Brennan placed the items in reusable bags and started pushing the cart towards her car. She loaded the bags into the trunk and was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by another store employee offering to return her cart for her.

She drove home, making plans in her mind on what needed to be finished when she arrived back at the apartment. She parked her car and immediate was shocked to find Parker knocking on her window.

"Bones! Bones! Where did you go?" he asked excitedly as she opened the door. He threw himself into her arms, hugging her tightly. "Hi Baby Bones!"

Brennan smiled and hugged him to her as she ran a hand over his blond curls. She looked over and saw Booth leaning on the front of his SUV watching them. He pushed off the car and walked over to her Prius. "Hey Parks, how about you grab two of those bags for Bones and I'll get the rest."

"Sure Dad! I'll get the elevator too!" The young man quickly selected two bags and ran into the building. Booth leaned down to pick up the remaining bags and Brennan reached over to close the lid to the trunk. "Hi." She said.

Booth leaned over and placed a quick kiss on her lips. "Hi. Miss me?"

"Booth, you've only been gone six and a half hours. It is not as if-" Booth kissed her again. "OK, I concur. I would have enjoyed your company."

Booth grinned. "Thanks Bones. I missed you too." He out the bags in one hand and wrapped the other around her should, pulling her closer to him as they walked into the building together.

"So you decided to do some shopping?"

"Yes. I was making some cookies and realized I needed an ingredient."

Booth smiled, thinking to himself she had purchased much more than a single item, but he decided against mentioning that. The trio rode up the elevator together, Parker talking excitedly about the morning's practice and his day with his dad in the park.

Booth and Brennan worked together to put the groceries away once they entered the kitchen. Brennan pulled out the bowl of cookie dough and swatted at Booth's hand as she saw him scooping up a spoonful of the raw dough. "Booth! It's not even baked yet!"

"That's part of the fun Bones," he complained.

"There's raw eggs in that dough. Do you have any estimate of the percentage of eggs in this country which contain _Salmonella_ bacterium? "

Booth grinned and reached over, pulling her into his arms and kissing her cheek. "No. But I know a sexy and super smart scientist who can educate me."

Brennan shook her head as she fell for his cocky grin, matching his smile. She pulled away and walked to the pantry as Booth walked into the living room, whistling.

"Damn it!"

"What's wrong Bones, are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm fine. I just forgot to get something at the store."

"Oh."

Later that evening…

"Bones, that dinner was awesome!"

"Thank you Parker. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

"Okay Parks…go put it in the DVD you picked out and I'll grab the blankets."

Brennan walked into the kitchen and brought out the gummy bears and a plate of cookies.

"Sweet! Snacks!" Parker exclaimed as he grabbed two cookies and immediately started munching.

Booth sat down next to Bones on the couch and spread out the blanket over them, then reached down to grab a cookie for himself. He chewed and looked at Brennan curiously. "Um, Bones?"

"Yes?" She replied. Not looking at him, paying attention to the television screen instead.

"What kind of cookies are these?"

"White chocolate chunk."

Booth looked over at Parker who was also looking at Bones with a strange look on his face. He looked at his dad and shrugged, then lay down on the floor with his own blanket.

"Bines, I'm not complaining, but I think you may have forgotten an ingredient."

Brennan sighed and turned to look at Booth.

"Yes I know. I went to the store to get more white chocolate and when I returned home I realized I had forgotten to purchase any."

"Oh. Okay."

Brennan moved away from Booth slightly on the couch and folded her arms above her stomach. "If you don't like them, don't eat them."

"No, no…they are good…they're great, right Parks?"

"I didn't see anything wrong with them Dad."

Brennan turned back to the movie, clearly irritated with Booth for mentioning her error.

Booth sighed. "_Traitor_." He whispered to his son.

A few minutes later Booth glanced over to see Brennan sitting with a single tear sliding down her cheek.

He reached over to pull her closer to him. "Hey Bones..what's wrong baby?"

"Nothing. I simply find my hormonal levels are surging and causing me to feel excessively emotional given the intentional intense feelings brought on by the film production and my inability to retain simple information for extended periods of time"

Booth thought about her statement for a moment before asking "You're upset you forgot the chocolate and the movie is upsetting you?"

Brennan looked up, and gave him an exasperated look, "Is that not what I just told you Booth?"

"Yes of course, I'm sorry." Booth gave himself a mental head slap for his stupidity.

"The cookies are delicious. Look…Parker has already eaten half the plate!" Booth leaned down and kissed the skin just under Brennan's earlobe. "Besides, I kind of prefer them without the chocolate."

"Really?" Bones asked.

"Yeah!"

Brennan leaned up and kissed Booth gently on the mouth. "Thank you for trying to make me feel better Booth. I'm sorry for getting upset at your simple observation."


	4. Chapter 4:  Grateful

_Sorry it took me so long to post. I'm on vacation, but have not had regular internet access. I have been working on a few chapters. This one took me a while to get through, for some reason. I have rewritten it a couple of times, and think I am happy with the way this final version. I've left it open for a continuation, if my muse is so inclined…in fact, I even took some of the earlier versions to try and use for that purpose. _

_If you have any suggestions or ideas, please feel free to share. I am anxious to see the new episode in a couple of weeks! I have seen the promos and they look terrific! (But then again, I am such an addict, when would I really complain?) I hope you enjoy. _

**Grateful**

Booth juggled the bags from the grocery store in one hand while struggling to hold onto the two bags of ice and his keys in the other. He jogged up the stairs to his apartment, not wanting to wait for the elevator.

Standing in front of the door to the apartment he could hear the television behind the door. He knew Bones had probably just left it on the channel he had been watching when she asked him to go to the store to pick up the items she needed before the store closed early for the holiday. Their guests were supposed to start arriving around 4 o'clock, and Bones had been up since 5 am preparing various dishes, pies and accompaniments for their meal.

Booth managed to unlock the door and opened the door. Smells of stuffing and turkey and the faint hint of pumpkin pie immediately welcomed him as he entered the apartment. He smiled. His home had not smelled this great since he had moved in years ago. Usually he was invited to join other families for Thanksgiving, or he drove up to spend the day with Pops and have dinner at the retirement home. This was the first year his home would be welcoming friends and family to celebrate the holiday.

Booth walked into the kitchen and quickly put away the items he had purchased. One bag of ice he immediately put into a cooler over the sodas and beers already inside, and the other he managed to find room for in the already stuffed freezer. He folded the shopping bags and put them in the pantry, then went to look for Bones. He thought she would have met him at the door, or would have been in the kitchen, working on one of her dishes. Other than the voices coming from the television, he hadn't heard anything from her.

Booth walked into the living room and glanced at the TV. The parade was almost over. The large cartoon-shaped hot air balloons were being featured and the children on the sidelines were excitedly looking down the street for the first sign of the jolly elf in the red suit. Booth grinned as he picked up the remote and pointed it at the set, turning it off. Parker loved to see Santa during the parade. Even though it was on television, he thought that was the beginning of the Christmas season.

This year Parker was spending Thanksgiving with Rebecca's parents and Brent in Illinois. He was supposed to call his Dad later on so they could have a chance to talk. But the good news was since Booth was not getting to spend time with him this holiday, he would get a few extra days at Christmas with his son.

Booth walked into the bedroom, still looking for Bones. He found her there, laying curled up on their bed. She had one hand under her growing belly, supporting it and the other laid across her body, stretched out towards his side of the bed, as if searching for him. Booth smiled. She had been working too hard the past two weeks, between working at the Jeffersonian and planning for this dinner party. He had tried to help, but every time he offered suggestions or tried to do something for her, she had gotten upset. It seemed the further along in her pregnancy, the more his Bones felt she needed to try and control everything she could. Booth imagined that was because she was slowly beginning to understand there was too much she would soon not be able to control, and there was nothing she could do about it.

Booth walked over to the bed and carefully laid down beside her, facing her. He lifting her hand and placed it on his side and reached up to gently stroke her face and hair. She was sleeping, but soon a smile crossed her face just before her eyes fluttered open.

Booth leaned over to gently kiss her cheek, then the corner of her mouth. "Hey beautiful," he whispered against her lips.

"Mmm, Booth. I needed to take a quick nap."

"That's fine. You've been up for a long time and working hard all morning. You deserve a rest. I already put away the groceries. "

"I need to –"

"You need to lay down here with me for a few more minutes and finish resting," Booth finished for her, leaning down to kiss her again.

Brennan chuckled against his lips. "Okay. Just for a few minutes. But then I need to get up and finish getting everything ready."

"Mmm Hmm…" Booth replied absently as he pulled Brennan towards him, her head resting on his shoulder.

_Forty Minutes Later_

Booth stretched his legs and opened one eye cautiously, the sunlight from the window catching on the mirror and temporarily blinding him. He moved his head to avoid the glare and lifted his arm to check his watch.

"Crap." He saw how long he and Bones had slept. H eknew immediately she would not be happy and somehow it was going to be his fault that she had taken a longer rest than she had intended. He looked down at the woman still resting in his arms. She was curled towards him, her arm around his waist, one leg between both of his. He could feel the swell of their baby resting next to his stomach and every once in a while he could feel the gentle movements of the baby through their clothes. _Baby Bones must be getting restless_, he thought with a smile.

It was hard to believe sometimes how far they had come in a year. Last year at this time he had been trying to convince himself that everything was perfect…that Parker would eventually warm up to Hannah…that she would eventually change her mind about marriage and wanting to settle down…that he would be able to stop thinking about the "what ifs" that continued to run through his mind about the life he wished for with Bones.

He had spent 8 months without her while he was in Afghanistan. Eight months to forget about her and finally move on…find peace and deal with the fact that she did not want him or his love. But instead, he had thought of her constantly, even when his emails and letters had gone unanswered. Even when Parker had let slip that he had spoken to her, but she had not asked about how his dad was doing. When Booth had met Hannah he thought it was a sign from God that "Here. Here is someone for you. She is just as beautiful…maybe even more so than Bones. She is smart and savvy, in her own way. She is fearless and she is willing to try and make a life with you." So when Hannah followed him home, he put on a brave face, and tried to make sure everyone knew he was doing his best to make things work.

But it didn't.

When he slept, he dreamed of a different life. One he had dreamed of before. One he still wished could happen.

Bones stirred in his arms and murmured. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, comforting her, quieting her. She needed her rest. Their friends would understand if dinner was a little late. She may not, but he was willing to take the heat if it meant taking care of her now.

Booth thought back to how after Hannah had rejected his marriage proposal. He had told her there was no room left for her in his life. Bones had found him that evening, already working on his way to a solid hangover. He had been so angry and hurt. He didn't mean to hurt her more…to hurt her again. God knew how many times his Bones had been hurt by the people who claimed to love her.

And still she was there for him. She was his partner. She was his friend. She was patient and waited.

He had thought he was almost ready to bring up the subject again when Broadsky came into their lives. After that, Booth needed to concentrate on finding Jake. He was too dangerous…too unbalanced to let him stay on the run. And sooner or later Broadsky would realize that the best way to hurt Booth was to hurt the people he loved the most…Pops…Parker…or Bones. Take away any one of those people from Booth's life, and he didn't know what would happen. He honestly could not even trust himself to think about it for long.

Booth tightened his hold on Bones. Her eyes fluttered open. "Booth?" She asked, confused at first. "What time is it?"

"About twelve thirty." He replied, kissing her cheek, trying to ease the message even as he gave her the answer.

"What? I thought we were just going to rest for a few minutes? Do you know how much I have to do still to get ready? What were you thinking?"

Brennan struggled against his hold, trying to break free, but Booth only tightened his arms around her, preventing her from leaving the bed and his embrace. "Bones, you were exhausted. You're pregnant and you need your rest. Whatever you need to get done I'll help you with. Let's just lay here for another minute or two, then we'll get up and get a bite to eat, make a list of what you want to get done and we'll finish everything together, okay?"

Bones stopped struggling. She looked up and watched Booth's face carefully. He looked like he was deep in thought. "What are you thinking about Booth?"

"You. Me."

"What about us?"

Booth sighed and looked down at her, his eyes turning dark with emotions. "How grateful I am that we finally found each other…at the right place and the right time." He reached down to stroke her stomach, feeling their baby kick in response. "Amazed that we created this little miracle."

Brennan smiled. "I hardly think your Alpha male sperm doing their job would be considered a miracle."

Booth smiled and kissed her mouth gently. "You're wrong Bones. Think about how many opportunities we had and let slip by. This one we took…and in the process we managed to create another life. That is a miracle. Our own private miracle."

The couple lay there, entwined, sharing gentle kisses, whispering softly to each other. Booth continued to think about how many times he had almost lost every chance to have this amazing woman in his life. Too often he had tried to downplay their relationship or her importance in his life. How many times had he watched her get injured, or hurt from someone in her life…only to walk away from her at the end of the day?

Booth vowed to himself to never let that happen again. He always would be there for her…and their baby. They were a family. They did not need a piece of paper binding them together. They had already been through more trials and challenges than most couples…and still they managed to find each other. Love each other.

Booth sat up and walked over to the other side of the bed, reaching down to help Brennan sit up and raise off the bed. She walked into his arms, giving him a firm hug.

"I'm grateful too Booth. For you. For our baby. For our friends. Our new life together. We have so much to be thankful for."

Booth nodded against the top of her head in agreement.


	5. Chapter 5:Home

_Finally back home! Visiting is nice, and traveling is ok (but my companion needs to learn how to change their CD collection! #s 5 and 6 were still Christmas CDs! Thank goodness I had the Ipod charged and on hand!) But the 19 hour drive home was…a lot! Oh, and if you were one of the people in the cars I rolled my eyes at behind my sunglasses as we passed you…C'mon…learn how to drive…the SLOWER cars belong in the __**FAR RIGHT**__ lane! And if you can look in your rearview mirror and see what color nail polish I am wearing…you need to MOVE! _

_OK. I feel marginally better now. Here is today's post, but thought I would get ahead of myself and will try to put up the next installment today as well. Originally I thought it would be a goal to try and get through the alphabet before the show resumes (can hardly wait!), but I'm not sure that will happen…but we'll keep trying. _

**Home**

_6 p.m., Thursday_

Brennan rolled her neck, then used one hand to try and massage the back of her neck. Her phone rang. She pulled it from her travel bag and checked the number. Her publisher had already called her twice since she had left her at the hotel earlier that afternoon, and she did not see any point in continuing their conversation. Booth's number flashed on the screen.

"Hi," she answered, foregoing her usual phone greeting.

"Hey Bones! Are you still stuck at the O'Hare?"

Brennan smiled. "I think it is just called O'Hare, but yes, I am still waiting to find out when the plane can be boarded. I believe the crew is waiting for another weather report."

Brennan could hear sounds that suggested Booth had just entered his office. "Yeah. The agents in the break room were watching the Weather Channel. I guess the storms that passed through Illinois are working across into Indiana and possibly even Ohio and Pennsylvania…you're flight may have to be cancelled, or at least rerouted."

"We'll see what the official decision is soon enough. There really isn't much I can do about it right now. I'm just getting tired of waiting in these uncomfortable chairs."

"Don't you have a special access card to let you into the VIP room, or something?" asked Booth, somewhat teasingly. He knew his partner never traveled in anything less than First Class if she could avoid it.

"I do. The room is full of businessmen and I realized there was more privacy out here in the terminal. I'm waiting in an open gate, but still within hearing distance for any announcements."

Booth sighed. "I knew I should have just come with you. Then at least you wouldn't be there by yourself."

"Booth, I don't think my not having a traveling companion has anything to do with my current energy level. Besides, you had court yesterday and this morning. You know Caroline would never had allowed you to reschedule because you wanted to accompany me to a book signing."

"Yeah, yeah yeah Bones. I know. We already had this argument, and you won, okay? I just hate for you to be uncomfortable and there is nothing I can do from here to help you, okay?" Booth sighed into the phone. "Besides, I've missed you this week. I still don't see why your publisher needed you to be there for a full week," he grumbled.

"I already explained my schedule for this week…both before I left and every day when we communicated. And this will be my last trip until after the baby is born, and the new book is published, so you won't have to worry about sharing my time with my publisher for so long for quite a few months," she tried to explain calmly.

Booth chuckled. "Yeah, that is something to look forward to. So, are you sure you don't want to have me or Angela come pick you up from Dulles?"

Brennan looked up at the gate, trying to gauge whether or not the flight team would be making any announcements anytime soon.

"No. I still am not certain when I will arrive, and there is no reason for Angela to wait when she has Michael to worry about…and you've been working all day and have to work tomorrow early as well. I will call the driving service when I land and they can meet me once I have my bags. By the time I get back to Washington all I am going to want is dinner, a hot shower and go to sleep in my own bed."

"Oh," Booth said, somewhat quietly. "Well, yeah, of course. Well, if you change your mind, I don't mind Bones. It's not a problem at all to come and pick you up…and I don't mind waiting if the flight is running late-"

"Booth, you need your rest. You already told me this morning that you haven't been sleeping well this week. You should go home, call Parker and watch the game for a while. Relax. You need to let your body get some sleep and regenerate. REM sleep is necessary in order for our bodies to function at the optimum level, and the amount of stress you routinely put on your body to perform your job means that-"

"Okay Bones. I get it. You want to get yourself home, and you want me to try and get a decent night's sleep. No Squint Lesson needed, okay Babe?"

Brennan pursed her lips at the endearment, but did not say anything. Actually, she had started to become more and more accustomed to his frequent additions to her name. She had noticed Hodgins and Angela using some of the same names towards each other, and secretly, it made her feel more secure in their relationship that Booth was comfortable enough to use some of the same endearments as her friends. She hoped one day she would feel secure enough to share the same with him.

"Bones..you still there?"

"Yes, sorry. I was just deep thinking."

"Deep in thought, Bones…anyway…how's Baby Bones doing?"

Brennan rubbed her stomach. "At the moment she seems to be resting. She was kicking a storm while we were at the book signing. A few of the women waiting appeared to want to fondle my stomach, but your suggestion of having a larger table seemed to have worked well."

"Yeah. Rebecca used to complain about older women always feeling like they could touch and rub on her belly when she was pregnant with Parker too. I was pretty sure you wouldn't want that kind of attention either."

"You were very astute, Booth. Thank you for thinking of me."

Brennan could hear the smile in his voice as he said is a low voice, "Always Bones. I'm always thinking of you."

The attendant at the gate reached for the microphone and announced the first class passengers would begin boarding in five minutes.

"Booth, it appears the flight crew is going to start boarding the plane. I need to go. I'll text you when I land, okay?"

"Sure Bones. Be careful. I love you."

"I love you."

Brennan ended the call and tucked her phone in her bag, smiling. It was nice to be reminded that she had someone anxious for her to return home. She had made too many trips with no one expecting her to return, or knowing when she would be back in town. Now she had Booth…and their friends, and there seemed to always be someone who wanted to know when they would be able to see her again. Booth always wanted to know where she was and what she was doing…even if he called late at night and she was lounging in her hotel room. It made her feel cared for and wanted.

_30 minutes later_

Brennan sat back in her seat. The aisle beside her was crammed with passengers pushing and trying to force the line further into the plane. Already from the rear of the plane, two small children were crying, frustrated with the long wait time in the terminal, and now the hot and cramped space of the seats into which their parents were trying to secure them.

Brennan pulled out her phone and sent a text to Booth. _Waiting for plane to board. Flight plan being rerouted. Will take longer to reach DC._

A minute later her phone vibrated in her hand. _Almost ready to go home. Bet ur glad u get to board early. LOL._ Brennan smiled. She did enjoy some of the perks of being able to afford better seats while flying. She knew the few times Booth had flown with her, he had enjoyed the First Class Experience as well. _Yes, but will be even more happy to get home_.

Her phone buzzed again. _Ask for your pillow and you and baby can take a nap_.

_Good idea. I think I will. Love you._

_Love you too Bones. Have a safe flight._

Brennan decided against arguing that there was anything she could do to control the safety of her flight, and instead appreciated that Booth was again showing his concern for her and their baby.

The flight attendant finally was able to close the cabin door and started walking the cabin, ensuring the overhead bins were secured and the passengers were prepared for takeoff. Brennan turned off her phone and leaned back in her seat. She would ask for a pillow and recline her seat once they were permitted. For now she would close her eyes and try to relax.

_Dulles Airport, 4 hours later_

Brennan walked with the crowd towards the baggage claim. The flight had taken much longer than normal. Even her First Class seat seemed cramped and uncomfortable as the plane had circled the airport in DC waiting for permission to land. The two anxious children in the plane seemed to have found friends to join their crying chorus. Brennan had been relieved to exit the plane and have more space between her and the people walking next to her. She stood on the escalator and pulled out her phone, turning it on to check if she had any messages.

As Brennan stepped off the escalator her phone vibrated in her hand, signaling a missed message. It was from Rebecca's phone number. _Dad said u were on ur way home. See you this weekend. Love, Parker._ Brennan smiled. She had forgotten that this was Booth's weekend with Parker. She wondered what plans the two had made. She walked towards the carousel where the bags from the flight would be placed. Since Booth had obviously talked to Parker, she was sure he was already at his apartment and resting. She resisted the urge to call him. Instead she dialed the number for the driver service and announced her location. The service assured her their driver would meet her within fifteen minutes, as they had already been advised of her late arrival. Brennan frowned, then realized Booth must have found the number for the service and called to warn them. She was ready to get home. Nothing sounded better than sleeping in her own bed. She was pleased Booth had helped to make sure that could happen as quickly as possible for her.

Just then, the alarm sounded, signaling the bags from the flight were about to start entering the conveyor line. She slipped her phone back in her purse and waited for a glimpse of her travel bag.

_12:30 a.m., Friday_

Brennan fumbled with her keys, trying to use the right one to unlock the apartment door. Finally finding the right one, she unlocked the deadbolt and opened the door. She bent down to pick up her bag and hoisted her travel bag over her shoulder. Both were dropped just inside the door. She closed the door and reset the locks. She dropped her keys on the console table and walked into the living room.

She was exhausted from the traveling. She took off her raincoat and threw it over the back of the couch, not having the energy to even hang it up in the coat closet. She did not turn on the lights, but instead walked into the bedroom. She had eaten on the plane and decided she would have a large breakfast in the morning. Right now rest was what she needed.

As she walked into the bedroom, she awkwardly removed her shoes and then pulled off her shirt. She finally made her way into the bathroom. After using the facilities, she pulled her slacks off and walked over to the sink to quickly wash her face.

Finally Brennan made her way to the bed. She pulled back the covers and lay down on her side. As she rested her head on her pillow she felt a warm heat on the back of her body. "I thought you said you were going home to sleep," whispered a sleepy Booth as he pulled her closer to him.

"I know."

He nuzzled his face against the side of her neck, breathing in her scent and wrapping his arms around her middle, encircling their child and embracing her at the same time. "What changed your mind?" he asked.

Brennan turned around to face him. Booth could see her face in the faint moonlight coming from the windows in the room. Her face looked confused. "I didn't. I came straight from the airport to here."

Booth smiled, finally understanding. He leaned forward to kiss her, his mouth teasing her mouth open so his tongue could glide over hers. "Mmm…Welcome home, Bones. I missed you."

Brennan tucked her head under his chin. The two fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms…both finally safe at home.


	6. Chapter 6:  I know

**I Know**

Booth opened his eyes slowly. He reached out for Bones, but her side of the bed was cool. Obviously she had been up for a while already. The sun wasn't even filtering through the blinds on the window. He sat up and turned, looking for the time on his alarm clock. 5:30 a.m. On a Saturday. Crazy talk. Who in their right mind got up this early on a Saturday morning?

He stood up and walked over to the hest of drawers, pulling out a fresh pair of boxers. He pulled them on and walked into the bathroom. Finishing his morning ablutions he looked in the mirror briefly and ran his hand through his hair. He rubbed the back of his neck and decided to go find what Bones was doing this early.

He found her on the couch in the living room. She was reading with her legs curled up beside her. "Morning Bones." He said as he sat on the couch next to her. "Good Morning Booth. Did I wake you?"

"No. I woke up and you were gone. Thought I would see what you were doing." Booth reached over and pulled her legs into his lap. He ran his hands over her legs. He leaned over to kiss her cheek and peered over the cover of the book. "What are you reading Bones?"

Brennan showed him the front cover. "It's called 'What to Expect When You're Expecting'. Angela gave me her copy. She said there was information in this book that I would need to be aware of, and that it was extremely helpful to her, especially in the few months of her pregnancy with Michael."

Booth smiled. "And what have you learned so far, Bones?"

Brennan opened the book and flipped back through the chapters she had already completed. "In general it contains information I already was cognizant of; however there has been some of the more unusual symptoms and behaviors indicated that I was not formerly aware to expect."

"Such as?"

"Well, I realized that most women during pregnancy experience food cravings, or even aversions to foods they normally would enjoy."

"Yeah?"

"But this book further explained that the food aversions could be our bodies' attempt to protect us from potentially harmful foods. While with today's access to refrigeration and reheating methods, it is unlikely we would need to worry as much as our ancestors did, our bodies have learned this behavior to protect both the mother and the fetus."

"Hmm…that still doesn't explain why you suddenly are trying to sneak bites of my pie at the diner."

"I told you that I was simply wondering what you found so irresistible."

Booth flashed his charm smile at her. "I can tell you that Bones…I find you irresistible." He leaned closer and kissed the side of her neck. She smiled. He was becoming more and more affectionate. He did not mind showing her he cared, whether they were alone in the apartment or even in her office at the lab. They still maintained a certain sense of professionalism while working, and when in the field, but when work was done, Booth seemed to want her and everyone else around to know that he enjoyed being able to touch and caress her.

Booth looked at her book and one word caught his eye. "What's _pica_, Bones?"

"Hmm?" She asked, distracted by his caresses on her leg and the touch of his mouth on her neck.

Booth chuckled. He lifted his head and looked at her. He pointed one finger at the word in her book. "Pica. What is that?"

"Oh…it's a term for an unusual food craving some women can experience during pregnancy."

"Oh, like peanut butter and sardines on ice cream?"

"Brennan looked at him pointedly. "That sounds revolting, Booth. No…these cravings are not nutritionally based. Some women may experience a desire to eat ice. Others may have more extreme cravings, such as the urge to consume clay or ashes. In extreme cases, some women have been found to crave gasoline or even paint."

"Ugh. And you called my example revolting? Why would anyone crave gasoline?"

"It is thought to be a mineral or chemical imbalance. Women who consume ice, for example, generally have exhibited an extreme iron deficiency, or a combination of iron and zinc deficiency. The metallic taste in the ice provides them with a temporary relief; however the additional water intake dilutes any true addition of the mineral to their system. A dietary supplement has shown to provide a great deal of relief from the cravings."

Booth thought for a moment. "So if you are taking your prenatal vitamins and eating balanced meals regularly, you should not experience these kinds of severe cravings?"

"Ideally. If I begin to suggest adding a portion of soil or clay to our meals, you are welcome to announce the change to my obstetrician."

Booth smiled at that. "I'll keep that in mind Bones, thanks. So why are you up so early? You do remember that it is Saturday, don't you?"

Brennan sighed. "Yes. But I had already been awake and was experiencing insomnia."

"What time did you get up?"

"Two thirty."

"Bones! That's way too early! Why didn't you wake me?"

"What would that have accomplished? Then we both would have been awake."

Booth took the book from Brennan's hands and placed it on the coffee table in front of the couch. "Maybe we could have come up with an idea to help you relax. Come on…let's go back to bed and see if we can let you get some more rest."

Brennan allowed him to pull her with him. She lay down in the bed and watched him walk around to his side. He pulled the cover over them both and settled on his pillow. They both lay there in silence.

Ten minutes later Brennan looked over to Booth. He was staring up at the ceiling. "Booth, obviously neither one of us are tired enough to sleep."

"Maybe. Hey…what if I massaged your back? That always puts Parker to sleep when he's having trouble."

Brennan shrugged. "Okay. But I really don't mind getting up this early. We can go for a walk or-"

"Bones, you need some rest. You and the baby. Turn over and let me try to help you relax, okay?"

Brennan turned onto her stomach and faced the door. Booth pushed the covers off them both and straddled her hips. She felt his strong hands on her shoulders, working their way down her back. As he gently increased the pressure on her muscles she moaned. "Feel good, Bones?"

"Yes...I didn't realize how stiff my trapezius muscles had become."

Booth grinned at her squinty answer. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss on the side of her neck, continuing his massage up her back to her neck, using his fingers as if he was typing on a keyboard, then smoothing the muscles, following the striations towards her spine.

Brennan continued to moan her appreciation of his efforts. Booth smiled. He worked her muscles, traveling his hands up and down her back. "Bones…turn over."

She turned around on his request. He started on her shoulders, and then moved his hands down her arms. Brennan smiled up at him. "Booth?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm still not feeling tired."

Booth smiled down at her. He bent down and captured her mouth with his, starting gently. Bones moan under the pressure of his lips. She arched towards him, wanting more. He slanted his lips and teased her lips open with his own, to allow his tongue access.

Soon he tore his mouth from hers, sliding it over her jaw and down her neck. He took his time, kissing, licking and gently nibbling on her delicate skin. His hands continued to stroke her arms and shoulders, stubbornly refusing to touch her elsewhere. Brennan whimpered. She wanted to feel his hands all over her...already her nipples were straining against the t shirt she wore...the normally soft cotton feeling rough against her sensitized skin.

Finally Booth reached down and lifted the edge of her T short up over her hips, slowly bringing it over her stomach. He leaned over her body, planting gentle kisses over the skin he exposed. "Booth please…stop teasing."

Booth chuckles. "Why Bones? I'm doing such a good job." He trailed more warm kisses over her stomach, gently whispering to their baby. Bones was only starting to see a small change in her body from the baby there, a gentle swelling. So far she was still able to wear her normal clothes, although when she came home from a long day, she did feel more comfortable when she was able to change into yoga pants, or even borrow some of Booth's sweat pants.

Booth moved his hand under her t shirt, covering her breasts. His thumbs brushed over her sensitive nipples. Brennan pushed her body up towards his touch. She growled in frustration. "Booth, I mean it…stop teasing!"

Booth didn't answer; instead he slid his hand under her back and gently lifted her to a sitting position so he could finish pulling her shirt over her body. Brennan lifted her arms to help him. Once free, she pressed her body close to his, savoring the feeling of his heated flesh against hers. Their mouths met again in a deep kiss. Brennan pushed at him, forcing him to lie on the bed and allow her to switch positions with him. Their bodies were only separated by his boxers and her panties. She straddled his thighs and her hands slipped under the waistband of his boxers. He groaned as she found his stiff erection and wrapped her fingers around the shaft, stroking the skin.

"Now who's being teased? She asked, leaning close to whisper her question in his ear. He turned his head to catch her mouth with his own, encouraging her with his lips and tongue to continue her exploration.

"Now now Booth…I thought you enjoyed teasing…fair is only fair…you had your turn…now let me have mine."

She trailed her lips down his neck and chest, finding his own pebbled nipples. Booth sucked in a deep breath as she nibbled on the tight skin. Bones then lifted her mouth to blow cool air over the wet trail she had left.

"I think you learn too quickly Bones." He groaned.

"Mmm…I have been told I have an annoyingly high learning curve. But I can't say that it is necessarily a bad thing." She smiled. Her hands reached again for the waistband of his boxers and this time pulled the material down over his hips. He lifted his body up from the mattress to help her, pushing his thighs closer to her own. Finally Brennan flung the material somewhere over her shoulder. She looked down at him, lying under her, watching her, a Boothy grin playing over his face.

"I love you, Bones".

Brennan stopped, her hands freezing in place. They had not shared those words to each other. They had shown each other in other ways…Booth's endearments…her hurrying home to make him dinner when she knew he had a difficult day…showing up at each other's office with coffee or an invitation to lunch…but they had carefully avoided putting any label on those feelings.

She felt her eyes brim with unshed tears. "Booth, I-I don't-" He reached up and smoothed a hand over her cheek. "Shh…don't. I just wanted to tell you…you don't have to say anything. I know you'll tell me when you are ready."

A single tear fell down her cheek and he pulled her close to kiss it away. He turned them over again, hovering over her. He reached down and slid her panties down her hips…sliding them down her long smooth legs. Once her feet were free he trailed his hands back up her gorgeous legs…stopping at her calves to plant kisses there and behind her knees. He gently pulled her legs further apart, and positioned himself between them. He looked up at her as he settled there. One finger trailed over the soft brown curls between her thighs…asking for entrance. She nodded, spreading her legs further apart for him. He smiled and his finger moved closer to hear center…to the heat and moisture he could feel. She groaned and closed her eyes as his finger slid inside her folds. "No, watch me. I want to see those beautiful eyes."

She opened her eyes and watched his, those chocolate brown orbs darkening as his face came closer to her body...he started trailing kisses over her stomach, caressing the gentle swell there and lowering his face towards his fingers. His mouth finally found her…she moaned in appreciation as his tongue followed the path his fingers had begun…then his mouth latch onto her sensitive bud, sucking gently. She closed her eyes briefly, arching again towards him, pressing her body closer, before remembering his request. She opened them once again and watched as his head nodded between her open legs. She reached down and thrust her fingers through his short hair, clutching at his head and pulling him closer…telling him without words what she needed…what she wanted.

Booth felt her nails digging into his scalp. He didn't mind the slight pain. He kept at his goal…feeling her body start to tremble under his…her heated folds trying to tighten over his fingers and his tongue, holding him in place.

"Booth…I want you inside of me…now," Brennan insisted, pulling at his hair slightly, trying to raise his head.

Booth gave her clitoris a final lick and finally knelt, supporting his weight with his arms. He settled his weight over her heated body. Brennan raised her mouth to meet his as one hand slipped between their bodies to guide his hard length towards her warm and wet opening. Booth groaned when he felt how aroused she was on the tip of his erection. She always seemed ready for him, no matter how much time, or how little, they spent arousing each other.

"God, I love you Bones… no one has ever felt better…you're perfect…" Booth rambled as he slid his length deep into her heat in a long stroke.

"Yes…you feel so good Booth…always perfect…"answered Brennan. She wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer. Their bodies started working together, pushing and pulling the other closer to completion.

Brennan felt the rush of pleasure as she started to climax. She tightened her legs around Booth, her muscles flexing to hold him closer. Booth groaned and started using even more forceful pumps of his hips. Finally he tucked his face into the curve of her neck and shoulder, muffling his own shout of completion. Brennan lifted one hand to stroke his head, combing through the short dark hair and murmuring soothing sounds.

They stayed locked together, their chests heaving with their heavy breaths, and constantly touching each other, hands stroking, lips brushing soft kisses over damp skin. Booth gently moved them towards the center of the bed, pulling Brennan close to him as he lifted his weight from her.

"Booth?" Brennan whispered in the quiet room. "Yeah Bones?"

She lifted her head to look him in the eyes. She curved one hand on his jaw, as if trying to hold him still to listen to her. "What's wrong, Baby?" He watched her closely, waiting for her answer.

Brennan shook her head slightly. Her eyes filled with tears, but she stubbornly held them back. "I…I find I need to…"

"What? Are you okay? The baby?" He moved one hand to her stomach, touching her bump there.

"No…I need to tell you that…" Brennan took a deep breath and sighed. "I love you too Booth."

Brennan watched his face, looking for any reaction. Booth watched her eyes, still brimming with tears, but darting over his face. "Bones…I know that." He pulled her close, hugging her to him. "We've loved each other for a long time now."

"No Booth…I mean I really love you. Not in that 'attagirl' kind of way. I…Love…YOU."

Booth leaned down and captured her lips with his. "Bones…listen to me. I know. You don't have to tell me."

Brennan sat up in the bed, looking down at Booth. "What do you mean 'you know'? How can you know when I just realized it?"

Booth smiled up at her. He reached for her hand and pulled her down onto his chest. "I know. You and I don't need words to tell each other how we're feeling. You show me your love every day we're together, Bones."

They lay together, holding each other. Brennan was deep in thought. Booth's breaths slowed, becoming steady and deep. Brennan guessed he was almost asleep. She tightened her arms around his chest. "You may not need to hear me say the words, Booth, but I want to say them. I want to tell you how much I love you."

Booth smiled over her hair. He kissed her there. "I know Bones. I know. You can tell me whenever you like."


	7. Chapter 7:  Jammed

_I am __**so **__excited for tonight's new episode…but more than a little disappointed that I did not make my goal. But, I have had a crazy week back at work after Spring Break…plus a lap top intent on dying a slow and painful death…and the sudden death of my flash drive…which stupidly I kept everything on, and never got around to making a backup copy. Yes, I am kicking myself as I retype everything…lesson plans, recipes…stories and ideas…Not smart Bubbs, not smart at all. Oh well. Live and learn._

_Here is my "J" submission…please drop me a quick review and let me know what you think…or any ideas/suggestions you may have. I'm not sure how I feel about the finished product for this letter, but…looking forward to some other ideas I have been working on this weekend. I still want to try and complete the chapters…perhaps I will be inspired with tonight's episode._

**Jammed**

Booth sat at his desk, a pile of paperwork in front of him. Hacker was insistent that he needed everything completed and on his desk-in triplicate- before Booth left for the day today. Unfortunately, Booth had been putting off finishing some of the necessary paperwork on the past few cases he and Bones had finished.

Booth groaned, reaching for the middle drawer of his desk where he kept a secret stash of painkillers. "Please Lord, let there be two left," he prayed. He found the bottle and shook it, hearing a slight rattle. He opened the cap and sighed in relief. Two capsules left. Just enough to help relieve the pain behind his temples. He swallowed the pills and chased it with the last water from his thermos. He replaced the cap and tossed the empty bottle across the room towards the wastebasket by the door.

"Two points!" he thought cheerfully. He picked up his pen and tried to refocus his efforts on the task at hand.

Brennan sat at her desk, a blank laptop screen staring back at her. She braced her elbows on the desk, her hands cradling her head. She had been trying to work on her new novel all morning. Nothing was working. She would start a few paragraphs and when she would go back and reread the passage, find herself angrily deleting the work. Character dialogues were off…the original murder weapon she had hypothesized would never work when scientifically tested…even her typing skills were suffering today. Brennan could feel the slight throbbing, promising of a major headache if she did not stop or find a way to make her efforts work soon.

Ring! Ring! Her desk phone sounded. She blindly hit the speaker button, leaving her head cradled in one hand. "Brennan." She mumbled.

"Hey Bones. It's me. I tried your cell but it went straight to voice mail."

"I'm trying to get some writing done on the new novel today…I needed some solitude."

"Oh…sorry. I just wanted to let you know I was going to be a little late tonight. Hacker needs these papers done today before I leave. I'm making headway, but I may be here until 7 or 8."

"Oh. Okay. Would you rather I stayed at my apartment tonight?"

"No…you have the key. Go ahead to my place. We need to leave early in the morning to get to Parker's school on time. Besides, I haven't seen you all day. At least I can see you tonight."

Brennan smiled at his romantic side. She still was trying to get accustomed to having someone who wanted to spend so much time with her…even if it was only to eat a late meal and sleep…Booth always was pleased to spend time with her.

"Okay. I'll save you some dinner, alright?"

"Sounds good. Give me a call if you need anything. I love you."

"I love you too. See you soon." Brennan ended the call. She found herself smiling. It was nice to have someone call her just to let her know where they would be…and because they wanted to know she would be waiting for them when they were finished.

Booth walked to Hacker's office to drop off the stack of files. He finally finished every form…dotted every "I" and crossed every "T". Hacker would have to find something else to bitch about in the morning, a task Booth was sure he would tackle with gusto. Right now all Booth wanted was to go home, change out of his suit and tie and spend some time with Bones before heading to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day.

Walking towards the elevator, Booth pulled out his phone and dialed her number. Ring…..ring…..ring… ring…"You've reached 202-555-3263. I am unable to respond to your call, however if you leave me a detailed message I will respond in a socially acceptable timeframe."

"Bones, it's me. Where are you? I thought you were coming to my place tonight. I'm on my way home right now. Call me as soon as you get this message."

Booth flung open the door to his apartment, he threw his keys onto the console table and locked the door behind him. "I'm home!" he called out loudly. The apartment was silent.

"Bones? Where are you?" Again, no answer. Puzzled, his brow wrinkled in confusion, Booth made his way to the kitchen. It looked the same as when he left it that morning…their breakfast dishes still soaking in the sink. Bones hated when he did that…maybe he misunderstood her and she decided to head to her place after all.

"Booth?"

"Bones?"

"Yes Booth, it's me. I-I find I need your assistance."

"What's wrong…where are you? I thought you were going to be here waiting on me to come home?"

"I know. I am-in a way. I need you to come back here…"

Booth made his way to the bedroom. The door to the bathroom was open, the light inside indicating her location.

"What's wrong Bones? Are you-" Booth stopped at the doorway. Brennan was laying in the tub, her hair pulled up in a loose knot and her face stained with tears. Her cheeks were red, probably from crying, but looking at her eyes, possibly from frustration as well.

"I'm stuck." She muttered, moving her eyes to the wall, away from his gaze.

"Stuck?"

"Yes, Damn it! I cannot gain sufficient momentum to extricate myself from this standard issue tub of yours. I am stuck. I require assistance to pry myself and your ever-growing progeny from this rapidly cooling torture chamber."

Booth mentally reminded himself to not laugh…to not even think about showing any humor at all in this situation. "Okay. Here, let me grab your robe. Give me your hand."

Bones raised her hands and Booth reached down, grabbing them in one of his large hands, his other arm moving to help support her back. When Bones was standing, he helped to support her as the blood returned to her lower extremities. He wrapped her robe around her wet and chilled body, then lifted her out of the tub. He carried her into the bedroom and gently placed her on the bed, sitting up.

"Are you okay, Babe?" He asked gently.

"I will be. I'm sorry, but I've been stuck in there for almost two hours. I came home and thought a hot bath would help to relax me…but I did not count on not being able to get out by myself." Tears started to well in her eyes as she tried to explain what had happened.

Booth bit the inside of his cheek, trying to hold back a grin. "You stay here and I'll go make us something quick to eat, okay? Grilled cheese?"

"No…it's too late for something that greasy. I would just like a peanut butter and jelly samdwich, I think. I had a large lunch with Angela."

Booth leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Okay. You relax here and I'll be right back."

Brennan scooted back against the headboard and tried to find a comfortable position.

"Hey Bones…We're out of grape jelly…but there's a big jar of strawberry jam…"

Brennan scowled as she heard his chuckle. "Keep it up Booth…Keep it up…" she muttered.


	8. Chapter 8: Keeping Secrets

_**AN: I know, I know…Unfortunately RL is hectic….but here is a nice long fluffy piece for you. I was missing Parker, so I decided it was time to see him. Meanwhile…anyone else loving the new episodes? I think that baby is adorable. Loved the winking scene! **_

_**Thank you for everyone who left me a review or has put the story on favorites/alert. I have every good intention of replying to the reviews, but have to focus on work and the real world responsibilities first. They are greatly appreciated, though. Anytime I get a notice or new review it is a huge inspiration for me to keep trying to add to this story. **_

**Keeping Secrets**

Brennan wiped the counters down for the third time. Booth had left an hour earlier to pick up Parker for the weekend. They had set the alarm and awaken early enough to share breakfast before he left.

Brennan forced herself to put the towel over the sink and go sit down on the couch. The "Booth Boys" should be home in less than twenty minutes. Hopefully by then she will have relaxed a little more.

This was the weekend she and Booth had decided to tell Parker about the baby. They had already informed him about their new relationship. Parker was a smart young man, and it would have been impossible to keep Brennan's presence back in his dad's life from being obvious. Besides, Brennan enjoyed spending time with Parker. He had always accepted Brennan and was willing to forgive her misunderstandings of social norms. Luckily, now that Parker was quickly approaching his adolescent years, even Booth was struggling to keep up with some of the slang and accepted norms of the atypical teenager. Brennan smiled_. Good_, she thought. _Maybe soon Booth and I could be as equally ignorant together. At least then we will be on a more flat playing field_.

The sound of keys in the lock pulled Brennan out of her thoughts. She sat more straight on the couch, not wanting to seem anxious. Booth opened the door and caught her eye, flashing her a quick grin. "Hey Bones! We're home!" He opened the door and stepped back to allow Parker to burst through the doorway.

"Dr Bones! I didn't know you were here already! Did you hear what Dad said we're going to do this weekend? I can't wait! Mom finally agreed, but only if Dad sends her a picture of me in all my gear first. Are you staying for dinner too? Can we have pizza? And cheesesticks? I really liked that spinach pizza we had last time, but I don't think Dad is going to want that…we'll have to get him at least a pepperoni and onion…maybe a Giovanni Special. Did you know I got an A on my test this week in Science? Hodgins helped me study for it, but I worked hard on learning all the names of the kingdoms and knowing how to classify the living organisms. Did you know that the platypus is the only mammal that-"

"Parker! Breathe buddy! Give Bones a chance to answer a few of those questions…or to even hear them clearly!" Booth came up behind Parker am grabbed him playfully by his jeans' belt loops, pulling him into a strong hug.

Brennan smiled watching the play in front of her. She always enjoyed spending time with the two of them. She had known since that first meeting with Parker what a good father Booth was…how concerned he was for his son's well being and happiness. Now she could imagine him in that same role with their baby.

"Let's see if I can answer as many of your queries as I can recall…your dad gave me some hints what he wanted to do this weekend, but no, I do not know his full plan. Yes, I am staying for dinner. If you would like pizza and your father is okay with that choice, I would be agreeable to having that for dinner. And as long as you share we can order cheesesticks. Ummm…Yes, I believe Dr. Hodgins mentioned you came to the lab a couple of days while I was out to work on some school work. An A is very excellent work, Parker! Do you have your test to show us?"

Parker looked up at his dad in a silent plea for release. Booth let go of his son and sat down on the couch besides Bones, his arm casually draped behind her on the back of the couch as they watched the young man run to his backpack by the front door. He jogged back, a small stack of papers in his hand. He sat on the coffee table in front of the adults and handed the papers over, watching them for any reaction. Booth handed Brennan the science test as he looked over an essay. Brennan flipped through the pages as Booth read carefully.

"Parker, this is great work…you did an excellent job at identification and classification. I think your grade was well assessed." Brennan praised.

"Thanks Dr. Bones." Parker replied. He glanced at his dad and looked down at his shoes, swinging his feet slightly.

"Parker," Booth began, not lifting his eyes from the paper in his hands. "When did you write this?"

Parker shrugged. "It was just an essay assignment Dad."

"Okay. But when did you write it?"

Parker gave a little sigh. "I wrote it back in January. Mrs. Ellis turned it in for a creative writing contest."

"Well that's great Parker!" Brennan exclaimed. "What is the subject?"

Booth handed the papers to Brennan, letting her read the essay for herself. Brennan had just finished reading the first paragraph before she felt the sting behind her eyes. Before she turned the page to read the conclusion she could feel her eyes filling with unshed tears. On the final word, each eye finally released a single tear, streaming their way down her cheeks to fall gently from her jaw onto her shirt unnoticed. Brennan looked first at Parker, who was still avoiding eye contact with either adult. She then turned slightly to look at Booth. His eyes were bright with his own tears, but he was smiling.

_**If I Were My Dad for a Day by Parker Booth**_

_My dad has an important job. He works for the FBI. He catches criminals and protects everyone by making sure no one gets away with hurting other people. But he doesn't work alone. He has the help of some of the smartest people in the country. Some work with computers, or chemicals, or being able to identify insects and the smallest specks of dirt or substances. But his partner is the smartest in the entire lab. She is one of the world's best scientists. She can look at a person's bones and tell you more about how they lived and what happened to them than most people probably know about their best friend. With her help, she and my dad are one of the best teams in the entire FBI! But, if I was my dad for a day, I would ask my partner to be my girlfriend._

_Most adults would tell me this isn't any of my business. But my dad is special. He's worked hard to keep the people he loves and everyone in the US safe. He deserves someone who wants to take care of him, too. I know I'm just a kid, but I've seen my dad and his partner, Bones (That's her nickname), together almost as long as I can remember. She makes him happy. She helps him stay safe. She takes care of him when I can't help look after him._

_My dad got real sick a few years ago. He had a brain tumor and needed to have surgery. Bones stayed with him during the surgery. When it was over, my dad couldn't wake up. The doctors said they would have to wait and see what would happen. I was scared my dad would never wake up. He looked so sick and still laying in the hospital bed. Usually my dad is always bouncing around, making jokes and smiling. We even have the same smile…we call it our "Charm Smile". We can get away with almost anything when we use that smile. When dad was lying in that hospital bed, he never smiled. _

_Bones never left his side the entire time he was in the hospital. She brought her work to his room and stayed with him-all day, all night…for the entire 4 days he was asleep. She talked to him. She asked his doctors questions. She called other doctors to see if there was anything else that could be done. And when I was allowed to come and see him, she held my hand and told me he would be okay. She promised me he would wake up and everything was going to be alright._

_My dad has a new girlfriend now. He met her while he was in Afghanistan. She's pretty, I guess. But Dad doesn't laugh as much with her as he does when he is with Bones. And a lot of times dad calls me at night and says he's sitting at home by himself. His girlfriend is working, and I think dad's forgotten how much he likes spending time with Bones. She doesn't come over very much anymore, and I don't get to see her. But she always returns my emails, or if I call she will answer the phone._

_So, if I were my dad for a day, I would find Bones and ask her to be my girlfriend. My dad needs someone to be there for him. Someone who likes spending time with him. Someone to look after him. Someone who will help him to smile and laugh more when I'm not there. I don't know anyone in the world who can do that better than Bones. She's the smartest person I know. If anyone knows how, she does._

"Parker," began Brennan softly.

Parker looked up at her, his face red and blotchy from his own tears. "I'm sorry Dr. Bones. Please don't be mad at me. I didn't know Mrs. Ellis was going to read my essay to other people. I just-" he broke off suddenly, choking on his words. Brennan reached for the boy, grabbing his hands and pulling him to the couch to sit between her and Booth.

"Parker, what's wrong?" Asked Brennan gently.

"I knew I needed to show you and Dad my essay, before next week…b-but I d-didn't want to make you upset. I sh-should have waited until Sunday." Parker struggled explain.

Brennan frowned. She tightened her grip on the boy's hand. "I'm confused Parker. Why didn't you want to share your essay with us? I thought it was very well written, and you very clearly were able to express your opinion and reasoning."

Parker looked up into her eyes. "B-because I knew you wouldn't agree with me."

Booth reached over and held Parker's spare hand in one of his own and with his right hand he gently touched his son on the chin and guided him to face the opposite side of the couch. "Parker, you know that I always want to hear what you have to say. That means whether you want to tell it to me, or if you want me to read something. I don't want you to ever feel like you need to hide something from me. We can disagree…we can even be flat out angry and upset at one another…but you shouldn't hide those feelings from me.

"I know when you wrote that essay you were upset. You didn't feel comfortable around Hannah. You missed spending time with me by yourself…missed being able to see Bones at the Lab and here once in a while. It's okay to write out those feelings."

Parker looked up at his dad. "So you're not angry I wrote that?"

Booth shook his head. "No. It's okay Bud." He pulled Parker in a tight hug, looking over his bead to Brennan, who was watching them with tears in her eyes. She nodded at him silently.

"Hey Parks," started Booth. He released his grip so he could look at his son in the face again. "Bones and I needed to tell you something this weekend too, you know."

"What?"

"Well, you know how Bones has here a little more when you come and visit or when you call? Well…I mean…"

"What your dad is trying to say is that we have agreed to engage in a monogamous relationship with one another," interrupted Brennan.

"Geez, Bones…can't you find a less scientific way to put it? Maybe even a little more on the 'G' rated side?"

"I don't understand what that means."

Booth rolled his eyes at her and focused back on Parker, who was turning back and forth to watch the two argue. "What she means is that I did kind of ask Bones to be my girlfriend-"

"Although I am not comfortable with that term as I am no longer considered to be a 'girl' in term of maturation" Brennan interjected.

"-and we have been seeing each other for about two months now. So, in a way, your essay came true."

Booth watched his son for a moment try to process everything. He glanced up at Bones, who was waiting, her brow raised in anticipation.

"Is this a joke?" asked Parker.

"No…no joke, son. We weren't really expecting it…but everything kind of worked. We enjoy working with each other and we enjoy spending our time together when we're done working."

Parker jumped up from the couch. "This is awesome! Wait until I tell Mrs. Ellis! She told me I shouldn't get my hopes up….Wooo HOO!" He jumped around the room in a circle waving his hands wildly. Booth and Bones watch him warily. This really was not the reaction they were expecting to receive. 

"So does this mean when I come over now we can all do stuff together? Can we go to that new amusement park next month and try out all the roller coasters? C'mon Bones…I know you love roller coasters!"

Brennan glanced at Booth and he gave her a shrug and then a short nod, as if to say, '_Yeah, go ahead and tell him the rest, I guess_.'

"Parker, there's a little more we need to share with you before we make any plans," she started gently. "Come back over here and I'll try to explain."

"Bones." Booth said warningly. She glanced over at him and could see he was worried about how much she was going to try to explain. "Relax Booth. I think I can handle this."

She reached for Parker's hand again as he sat back down on the table. "You see, something really special happened. In approximately seven months I'm going to have a baby…you're going to have a little brother or sister."

Again, Parker sat and stared at the two of them. When the silence had almost become unbearable he finally asked, "You and dad are having a kid?"

"Yes."

Parker shook his head in disbelief. 'Do-does this mean you're getting married?"

Brennan shook her head. "No. I haven't changed my opinion about marriage. But we are going to have this baby and we've been sharing our time at one another's apartment. And I'd like to be able to share at least some of your dad's time with you, if you would be agreeable."

"Have you known for a long time?"

Booth leaned forward to answer, "We've known for a couple of weeks. We just wanted to wait a while and get used to the idea ourselves before we shared it with you. But you are the first person I wanted to tell…I haven't even told Pops yet."

Parker looked back and forth between the two adults, his expression unreadable. "Does this mean when the baby gets here I won't get to come over as much?" he asked quietly.

"No. Absolutely not," Booth said firmly. "You're my son. Of course you can come over…whenever you want, as long as your mom says it's okay. I'm always going to want to spend time with you."

Booth stood up and sat on the coffee table beside Parker, pulling him into another embrace. "This new baby won't change that Parker. It just means that you'll have someone knew to help show how to do things. It might take a while for them to be able to copy you…but I'm going to love both of you the same."

Parker nodded. He looked over at Bones. "W-Would it be okay if I came over to Bones' apartment once in a while too?"

Brennan nodded, a tear sliding down her cheek. "Of course, Parker. You are always welcome. I love spending time with you. Besides, I think this new baby is very lucky to have you for a big brother."

Parker stood up and walked over to the couch and tentatively leaned over to give Bones a hug. She returned it, holding onto him tightly.

Booth clapped his hands together. "Whatdya say we go put together some sandwiches and plan the rest of our weekend together, huh?"

Parker looked up at him. "Do you have chunky peanut butter?"

"I think so. If Bones didn't eat it all the other night," joked Booth as he walked towards the kitchen.

Brennan and Parker stood up and walked, hand in hand behind him. "I am not the one who likes to sneak in the kitchen and scoop out spoonfuls of peanut butter to eat along with bowls of fruit, Booth," argued Brennan.

Parker laughed. "So…is the amusement park idea really 'out'?..."

_**PS: Hope you enjoyed it. I will not-so-subtly say that reviews could very possibly/absolutely help to inspire me to write at much faster rate!**_


	9. Chapter 9: Lullaby

_AN: Two Chapters in two days? I'm on a roll! This one is short, but I hope you enjoy! _

**Lullaby**

"Okay…thanks again Cam…I'll call you tomorrow." Booth waved as he watched his friend get in her car and back out of their driveway. He shut the front door and locked it, checking it before turning off the porch light.

He walked back to the kitchen to finish putting the last few glasses and dishes in the dishwasher and turned the machine on its silent cycle. He walked back to the baby's room, turning off lights as he went.

Brennan had moved back to Christine's room more than an hour ago, to change her and try to feed the baby. Angela had joined her, but she and Hodgins had left earlier, needing to relieve their own babysitter and check in own Michael. Booth had been too busy saying good bye to their friends and trying to clean up the house from the impromptu party to check on his two girls before now, but everyone who had gone to whisper goodbye to Brennan and Christine had assured him that Mom and baby were doing fine.

The door was ajar and soft light could be seen coming from inside the room. Booth pushed the door open and peeked around it, not wanting to wake Bones or the baby, if either were asleep. As soon as the door opened fully he could hear it. A low voice was singing softly…too softly for him to understand the words, but loud enough for Booth to understand that Bones was singing to their daughter. He walked closer to hear the words.

Wynken, Blynken and Nod one night  
>Sailed off in a wooden shoe,<br>Sailed on a river of crystal light  
>Into a sea of dew<p>

Where are you going  
>And what do you wish<br>The old man asked the three  
>We've come to fish<br>For the herring fish  
>That swim in the beautiful sea<br>Nets of silver and gold have we  
>Said Wynken, Blynken and Nod<p>

So all night long  
>Their nets they threw<br>To the stars in the twinklin' foam  
>Then down from the sky<br>Came the wooden shoe  
>Bringing the fisherman home<p>

'Twas oh so pretty  
>A sail it seemed<br>As if it could not be  
>And some folks thought<br>'Twas a dream they'd dreamed  
>Of sailing the beautiful sea<br>But I shall name you  
>The fisherman three<br>Wynken, Blynken and Nod

Wynken and Blynken  
>Are two little eyes<br>And Nod is a weary head  
>And the wooden shoe<br>That sailed the skies  
>Is a wee one's trundle bed<br>So shut your eyes  
>While Mommy sings<br>Of the wonderful sights that be  
>And you shall see<br>All the beautiful things  
>As you rock in that misty sea<br>Just like the fisherman three  
>Wynken, Blynken and Nod<br>Just like the fisherman three  
>Wynken, Blynken and Nod<p>

Booth shook his head in amusement. Bones never failed to surprise him. He would never have believed she would be sitting in a rocking chair, softly singing a lullaby to their daughter. If he did think of this moment happening, he would have guessed her choosing a tribal song or some kind. He walked over to the rocker and put his hands on her shoulders, leaning down to look at their daughter, sleeping peacefully, wrapped in her blanket and cradled in her mom's arms.

"She's beautiful, Booth," whispered Bones.

"She looks just like her Mommy," he replied, kissing her softly on her cheek, then leaning closer to give their daughter the same.

"I didn't know you knew any lullabies, Bones. You've been holding out on me," teased Booth.

"My mom used to sing that to me when I was little. Even when I was older she would sing that to me when I was sick and trying to go to sleep. I just remembered it tonight. I had forgotten…" she answered softly.

Booth smiled. He knew Bones didn't believe in Heaven, but he felt like Brennan's mom was watching them tonight, looking in on her namesake and helping her daughter to remember some of those precious lessons she had taught her when she was small…before she had to leave her.

"Come on Bones. Let's go get some rest. You need some sleep."

"Can-can we bring Christine with us? I know we agreed that she needed her own room and not to have her sleep with us….b-but I find I need to be close to her…just for tonight?"

Booth smiled, reaching down to take their daughter from Bones to allow her to stand. "Of course. Come one…we'll all get some rest in our bed, okay?"

Brennan nodded. She stood and wrapped her arm around Booth's waist, watching him hold their baby and they walked together to their room, a family in every sense of the word.


	10. Chapter 10: Mental Wellness Check

_I know, I know…for some reason this chapter gave me trouble…I had a specific idea in mind and started…but was interrupted and forgot to write down an outline or the original idea before walking away. Silly me! So anyways…I hope this is close. If not, okay…I'll try to do better next time. It's been a wacky week at work, so I am hoping to be able to see this week's episode tonight or tomorrow. I'm even behind on** that! **I am sure receiving some feedback would speed up the little mouse in charge of contacting my muse and working my typing fingers! (hint, hint!) _

**Mental Wellness Check**

Brennan stood next to Booth, facing the doors of the elevator, waiting for their expected floor.

"We're expected at two thirty?" she asked, confirming what she already knew.

"Yeah Bones. That's what the email said." Booth sighed. He glanced at his watch. It was just now two. They had met for a late lunch and left together from the Diner to drive to the Hoover. Booth reached over and pushed a button to a different floor on the elevator panel.

"Booth, what are you doing? We need to get to the 6th floor," complained Brennan.

"I just need to grab something from my office. We have a few minutes to spare." Booth flashed her a quick smile, "Besides, do you really want to have to trade pleasantries with Sweets…or take the chance of interrupting him and Daisy again?"

Brennan pondered his statement, then nodded. "Okay but I really would prefer not to dawdle. I do not want to give Sweets any reason to suspect our partnership is not functioning as per our usual high standards of success."

"Bones, we'll be fine. Sweets has no basis to try and break apart our team. You know that."

The elevator bell dinged its arrival to the fourth floor and Booth placed his hand on its familiar spot on the small of her back to help guide her to his office. Booth used to argue with his fellow FBI agents that he was being gentlemanly…but even he was able to acknowledge to himself now that the gesture was more personal…more of a silent signal that she was undeniably with him. He nodded at the trio of agents chatting in the break room and the partners continued down the hall to his office.

Booth walked around his desk to pick up the file he needed. He hoped this meeting would not take long. Actually, he had no idea what the meeting was going to be about or why Sweets felt they both needed to be present. Brennan had been back at work for a little over two weeks now, and Booth felt she was managing her duties at work and her role as mom better each day. Of course, she and Angela still snuck their children into the lab every day, but Booth doubted Sweets would be concerned about their breaking Cam's rules about babies in the lab.

"Booth? We need to get to Sweets' office…" prompted Bones, anxious to begin this meeting.

"Sorry Bones, I'm ready…Let's get this show on the road."

"Show?"

"I just mean the sooner we start the faster it will be over, right?" Booth walked back over to where Brennan was standing and brushed a quick kiss over her cheek. "C'mon Bones…let's go see what the Baby Duck has for us today."

Sweets sat in his chair, a half smile pasted on his youthful face. Across from him on the sofa sat the partners, sitting close together, but other than that not showing any unprofessional signs of affection.

"So, Dr Brennan, how have you been adjusting to returning to work after maternity leave?"

Brennan looked at Sweets analytically for a moment before answering. "If you mean how I am functioning at my position as Forensic Anthropologist, I would have to say I am excelling, as per my usual level of accomplishment."

Booth tried to smother a chuckle at her less than modest answer. Sweets glanced at him and then returned his gaze to Brennan.

"Actually, Dr. Brennan, I am more concerned with your balancing those high demands you set on yourself with your career as well as those which I am sure you have in regards to providing Christine with the best parental care possible."

Brennan's brow frowned. Booth looked back and forth between his partner and the young doctor. _Ah hell_, he thought. _This was exactly the kind of crazy emotion generating crap I was afraid Sweets was trying to pull_.

"I don't see how my childcare decisions have any reasonable bearing on the status of my partnership with the FBI."

Sweets cleared his throat. "Well, not to say that it would have specific professional ramifications, however, you must see, your emotional concerns of your child could very well overcome your professionalism in stressful situations such as those you and Agent Booth are thrust into during the course of a typical investigation."

Brennan's gaze cooled as she watched the younger man briefly. Booth could practically see the gears turning in her head. Suddenly her gaze shifted to glance quickly at Booth. He raised his hands slightly, as if to say _Hey, I have no idea where he comes up with this stuff, I swear!_

"I can see where you might be concerned; however Booth and I have already agreed to continue to limit my time in the field to acquisition of remains and new evidence when at all possible. Since Christine is still being breast fed, we believe it is best if I am more closely on hand to better handle her needs. As she is successfully weaned to more substantial food sources, I am sure we will re-evaluate my activity in the field as we feel best suits our partnership and her needs."

Sweets nodded. "That sounds very…reasonable of you, Dr. Brennan."

Brennan smiled slightly in response. Booth breathed out slowly, hesitating to relax after such a brief discussion. Usually when Sweets and Bones had one of their discussions, one or both ended up raising their voice and he somehow ended up being in the middle of everything.

Sweets looked down at his notes. "On a separate note, I'd like to focus on you and Agent Booth's partnership for a little bit."

Brennan nodded her agreement and settled back into the couch a little, obviously feeling this would be a safer topic of conversation than her role as a mother.

"Have you found any tension from Booth since returning to work, Dr. Brennan?"

Brennan looked over at Booth briefly before answering. "No. Of course, we have our normal levels of stress due to the nature of our jobs, and each case brings with it its own unique stressors to our individual roles and personalities, but I don't think that has become unusual since leaving and returning."

Sweets nodded and made a brief note in his file. He turned slightly to address Booth. "And you, Agent Booth?"

"And me what Sweets?" Booth replied cautiously.

"Have you noticed any additional tension between the two of you since Dr. Brennan returned from maternity leave?"

"No, of course not," Booth quickly answered.

Sweets nodded. He pulled a paper from the file held in his lap and read over it briefly before continuing, "Last week I was notified of an instance where you both engaged in a rather loud argument in Dr. Brennan's office at the Jeffersonian. Would you consider that typical of your behavior in the workplace?" Sweets looked between the partners, waiting to see who would respond first.

"Last week?...You mean Thursday? Geez, Sweets! You've got to be kidding me!" Booth exclaimed.

Brennan looked at Booth, confused. "What is he talking about Booth?"

Booth leaned forward, one arm on his knee as he tried to remind her, "Remember when we were discussing whose turn it was to go shopping? And that turned into a discussion of the benefits of organic baby wipes versus regular ones in light of the fact we are using disposable diapers? He's talking about that!"

Brennan waved her hand in the air. "That's absurd. We've had much more involved arguments in the past 8 weeks than that. Why on earth would Sweets decide to focus on that particular disagreement?"

The two turned to look back expectantly at the psychiatrist. He adjusted his tie, trying to down play his nervousness at having, as Dr. Brennan would say, the metaphorical table turned on him. "Well, it was not so much the disagreement itself insomuch that it caused a disruption in the overall work environment harmony for the remainder of the atypical work week."

Booth looked blearily up at Sweets. "In English, please?"

Brennan uncrossed her legs and instead crossed her arms. Sweets noted this as a definitive turn in her receptiveness to the meeting. "He means, Booth, that our discussion upset others at the Jeffersonian and that it was the catalyst for other arguments for the remainder of the week."

"Oh," replied Booth. He thought it over for one and a half seconds and then responded, "That's the biggest load of crap I've heard in a while, Sweets!"

Sweets sat back in his chair, palms up, trying to downplay his role in opening this conversation. "I am simply asking whether this level of frustration and bickering has elevated since Dr. Brennan's return. It is common for many women after giving birth to continue to feel fluctuating levels of hormones which then can cause varying mood shifts and temperaments, changing on a daily if not momentary basis."

"I believe, Booth, Sweets has finally found a clinical way to describe me as being moody." Bones noted dryly.

"Now, Dr. Brennan, I did not say that. I am simply concerned that the stress of a new baby, getting settled in a new home, a position within the Jeffersonian and as a consultant for the FBI which constantly applies a daily stress to your everyday activities and duties, in addition to adjusting to your new relationship with Agent Booth outside of the workplace-"

"Ah HA! That's it! _That's _the crux of the matter here! The real reason why you wanted to see us today! You want to dig and find out more about our personal relationship!" Brennan jumped forward in her seat. "Is this another experiment of some kind, Sweets? I told you before I will not be some lab rat for you to play with as you please!"

Booth looked back and forth, trying to keep up with where this bizarre meeting had suddenly taken a turn.

"Dr. Brennan, I assure you I have no intention of trying to use you or Agent Booth in any way. I am simply concerned that you both have had to adjust to a great deal of stressful situations in your lives in a very short amount of time and now that you have had a few weeks' time to recuperate and try to acclimate yourself to new responsibilities of your roles as parents together you may find that certain…_challenges_ that you face in your home life may also affect your professional lives as well."

Just then Sweets' phone rang once, signaling an unavoidable interruption by the office receptionist. "Excuse me guys, it must be an emergency. I'll be right back and we can continue our discussion."

Sweets quickly left the room and closed the door quietly behind him. Brennan and Booth sat silently for a moment, each immersed in their own thoughts. Finally Brennan turned to Booth, looking to see his reaction to Sweets' last statement. He was sitting looking out towards the window, his usually expressive face difficult for her to catalogue.

"Booth?"

"Hmm…Yeah?" Booth answered distractedly.

"Is Sweets correct in his assessment?" She asked directly.

Booth turned to face Brennan. "What? Of course not! Bones, we're good, right? This is just the Boy Wonder trying to find an angle for his next paper." Brennan nodded silently, but she looked down at her hands, avoiding Booth's eyes. Booth reached over for Brennan's hands, pulling them into his. "Bones, why would you even think that there is any truth to what Sweets was saying?"

Brennan looked at their joined hands for a moment and Booth could see her struggle to try and gather her thoughts. She had gotten so much better at trying to deal with her emotions, but it was still a struggle when they began to overwhelm her, especially when she would find more comfort in relying on rationality.

"It-it's just that since I've been back at work…" her voice trailed off.

"Yeah? What about it? You said you felt like you were doing fine being back," Booth prodded gently.

"I am-I do. I guess I realize now how ignorant I was about the demands of a fulltime job and a newborn would be on myself… and you, too, of course."

Booth smiled. "Well, yeah. You never quite can see how one little person can change so much, but," he flashed a quick, charming smile. "Christine is worth all that and more. We've gotten better at juggling and the schedule at the daycare and the feeding times will change here and there, but you and I can manage…we make the best team…we'll find a way to make it all work." He leaned over to embrace Brennan in a hug.

Brennan returned his embrace. "Yes, I know. You've been very accommodating Booth. You've helped with the shopping, the laundry, cooking... Angela even commented that you spend more time changing diapers than Hodgins has with Michael already, although I do think that is a bit of an exaggeration, given their drastic age differences."

Booth grinned. "Maybe not Bones; our little girl seems to be able to fill those diapers faster than we can put them on her some days. But, you know I don't mind doing all of those things. I love you and I love Christine. I want to be a part of your lives, even the most regular everyday jobs like taking out the trash or folding laundry. You two are my family, Bones."

Brennan smiled. "I love you too Booth. But lately we really haven't spent much time together. We've been so focused on Christine and her needs, and then my returning to work, and trying to juggle both home and work…I-I suppose I feel like you must think I have been ignoring you for these past few months."

"What? Bones? Why would you think that? Because Sweets suggested it?" Booth ran one hand through his hair in frustration. "You had a baby, Bones. I understood what that meant _way_ before the day you gave birth to Christine. I'm in this for the long haul. You, Christine, Parker…you three mean the entire world to me. If that means I need to be patient to help you feel comfortable in returning to our…_bedroom activities_…I can be patient Bones. God knows I waited seven years to finally be with you. A few more weeks is not going to kill me."

Brennan frowned, her face a picture of confusion. "But I thought…I mean Angela and Sweets suggested that-"

Booth shook his head. "What? Bones? Talk to me. What did Angela and Sweets suggest?"

Brennan sighed, rubbing one hand over her forehead. "I asked Sweets and Angela for their opinions because you did not seem to exhibit any real interest in resume sexual relations despite my invitations otherwise. They suggested that having this meeting would help us communicate our issues and find a way to work through them so we could address our personal concerns at home on our own. Obviously I was concerned that Sweets chose to address those more personal issues here when we had agreed to focus solely on those issues which pertained to our abilities to work effectively in our roles at the Jeffersonian and through the FBI."

Booth shook his head slightly. "Wait a minute. You mean you set up this whole Shrinky-dink meeting with Dr. Duck? Bones! Are you nuts?"

Brennan shook her head. "I just-I don't want to risk doing something that might jeopardize my relationship with you. I love you. You and Christine mean everything to me. I never understood how two people could become so important to me so quickly. And I have tried to bring the subject up with you, but somehow you didn't seem to understand what I was trying to convey."

"Bones trust me, if you were trying to give me any signal like that, I would have received and reacted. You did not send out any message to let me know you were remotely interested in making love."

Brennan tilted her head and looked at him plaintively. "Last Monday at Breakfast I very plainly told you I had an appointment that afternoon with Dr. Shankback at the OB-GYN office."

"Yes. And I asked if you needed me to pick up Christine from daycare so you wouldn't need to carry her in and out of the office."

"Why else would I have to go to the gynecologist six and a half weeks after giving birth, Booth? It is a basic wellness check, and one of the main topics of discussion is whether or not normal sexual activities can be resumed."

Booth held out his hands, palms up. "Hey, here is a perfect example of something I didn't have to go through with Rebecca. When she had Parker she and I were already no longer a couple. We shared parenting duties, but that part of our relationship had ended quite a few months before he arrived. I didn't realize that was what your appointment was for, Bones. The books I read suggested it could be months before you would be interested in sex…maybe even until Christine was able to get on a more regular sleeping pattern."

Brennan smiled. "I've always been more advanced than the average woman, Booth."

Booth grinned. "True." He leaned forward to kiss her lips gently. "Are we good now? I really don't want to include Sweets in this discussion."

Brennan nodded, leaning forward to return Booth's kiss. "We're good. In fact, " she kiss him again, harder, "I think we should take this discussion home to finish."

"Mmm..," Booth answered, his mouth still pressed against hers. "I can agree with that. One thing, though."

"Yes" Brennan leaned back to look Booth in the eye, her own eyes darting back and forth between his dark chocolate gaze. "What?"

"Please don't be so quick to go to Angela and Sweets for advice on us, Bones. I know you meant well, but … I think we've been doing pretty good this past year. What's between us I think we can work out between us first before we start turning to others for advice."

Brennan thought over his words for a moment before slowly nodding. "Perhaps you're right. Certainly seeking out Sweets' advice was not my most reasoned decision."

Booth leaned down for a quick peck on her lips. "No worries Bones. We're fine. I just think between the two of us we've had too many people offering suggesting and "fixes" in the past. Maybe if we'd listen to ourselves and let us decide for ourselves what we wanted it wouldn't have taken so long to get where we are now. Let's just agree to talk to each other when there's something bothering us, okay?"

Brennan nodded again and Booth leaned down to kiss her gently once more. "Don't we need to pick up Christine from Daycare?"

"Angela has her car seat from my car. She already offered to bring her by this evening. She has two bottles ready for her feedings."

"You are learning how to juggle very well Dr, Brennan," teased Booth. His hands ran up her sides, gently teasing her breasts, which were still sensitive and larger than they were before her pregnancy. They continued to kiss each other, eventually hands sliding under shirts, slipping open buttons, forgetting where they were.

Booth moved forward, pressing Brennan down into the couch cushions and reached for her leg, pulling it up over his hip, creating space for his own hips within the cradle of her thighs. She moaned against his open lips as he pressed into her, rubbing against her slacks and causing her panties dampen.

"God Booth…yes…I need your touch there… please…"

"Where Bones? Tell me…hmmm?"

"Booth! Stop teasing me! You know where!" He stopped his movements, easing away from her pelvis, waiting to hear the words from her.

"Booth1 Please…I need to feel you rub against my clit…please Booth…it's been too long…please…" She moaned, arching her hips up towards him, trying to ease the ache on her own.

"Mmmm…anything for you Baby…" Booth reached between their bodies and slowly slid the zipper to her slacks down. His hand quickly found the waistband to her lace panties and slipped inside. One finger gently rubbed circles over her stiff bundle of nerves, and then slid just the first knuckle into her hot wet center, gathering more of her moisture to spread over her clit in teasing again.

"Mmm…feels so good…it's been too long Booth….I need you so much…God…I've never needed anyone like I need you. Harder…please…more…" She groaned, pressing her face onto his warm shoulder as he bent his head to watch his fingers continue her slow, seductive torture.

"Bones you feel so good…so hot…just for me. I've missed you. I love you so much. I missed being able to touch you like this…feel your slick heat…feeling you tighten around my fingers…my cock…"

Brennan looked up into his eyes. "I-I might not be as-as tight as I was before—"

"Doesn't matter, Baby. You and I can't possibly feel anything other than perfect together. We'll be fine. We'll find a way. I told you," Booth kissed her deeply, his tongue searching hers, sharing his conviction through his emotional connection with her, "we're the best team. We'll make it work."

Booth then inserted two thick fingers into Brennan's center, as deeply as he could, while sliding another over her clit. She immediately fell over the cliff, falling over…gasping as she clutched his broad shoulders, trying to hold on tightly, calling out his name loudly.

Booth smiled. He loved watching Bones lose control…and making her climax in his arms was one of the best ways. She threw her head back and he took advantage, leaning into the crook between her shoulder and neck, kissing the tender skin, gently sucking and leaving his mark there. He could feel his own control slipping…quickly…but seeing her in his arms…a love bite on her neck…sweat rolling down her neck and towards the valley between her breasts just visible in the opened buttons of her shirt…was worth the torture.

Sweets opened the door, still speaking with someone on the other side.

"Fuck!" Whispered Booth against the skin just below her earlobe. He sighed and looked up over the back of the couch as his hand quickly slid out of Brennan's slacks and tried to help her pull the top of her shirt together before letting her sit up from her position on the couch.

"Okay guys, sorry about th-Guys? Dr. Brennan? Agent Booth?"

"Yeah, Sweets, you know… Uh…listen…I think Bones and I…we're uh…we're good... really. There's…I mean…"

Brennan ran her hand through her hair and finished straightening her shirt back to its original state. "What Booth is trying to say is that our personal issues will not have any bearing on our professional productivity. In fact, we are…right now…going to have an in depth discussion on how to best –address these concerns you've brought to our attention."

She stood up, her legs shaking slightly, and turned, looking for her purse. Booth looked at Sweets, then Brennan and quickly jumped up and walked to the door, trying to keep himself situated behind Brennan, to avoid having to explain his current aroused state any more than what was already obvious.

The pair quickly made their way to the elevator lobby and luckily managed to find one available and empty of other passengers. Booth made it a point to stand on the opposite side of the small enclosure, paying close attention to the numbers flashing their descent to the parking garage.

Brennan kept her focus on Booth, smiling at his stubborn refusal to look in her direction. As the doors sounded and opened Booth stepped forward and looking quickly, seeing no one in the garage he made long strides towards the SUV. Brennan quickened her own pace slightly to keep up, continuing to smile, knowing Booth's agitation was more from their being interrupted by Sweets and having been caught than any real irritation with her.

Booth unlocked the doors and jumped into his seat, twisting the keys in the ignition before Brennan had even completely entered the vehicle. He pulled out of the parking space and quickly drove around the perimeter of the garage, heading towards the exit. Instead of taking the final turn towards the exit gate, though, Booth suddenly turned the opposite direction towards one of the less used aisles. He parked the vehicle, the passenger side against a support column and threw the SUV into "park". He turned then towards Brennan, reaching out and pulling her to him roughly. "You're going to kill me Bones," he muttered before crashing his lips over hers, his tongue immediately seeking entrance, sliding over hers.

Brennan moaned. "Wh-What did I do? I know I didn't try to instigate any sexual behavior since leaving Sweets' office!" she answered, her own mouth returning his kisses, trying to press her upper body closer to his.

Booth tore his mouth from hers, his eyes looking at her swollen lips. One hand cradled her cheek; the other had already slid behind her head to feel the silky strands of her hair slip through his fingers. "Do you know I managed to work here at the Hoover for more than ten years…and in that time I have never been caught in any unprofessional or compromising situation even close to what just happened in Sweets' office?"

Brennan raised one eyebrow. "Rebecca?"

"Never. Until just now. Until you."

Brennan smiled. "I find that makes me feel very…"

"Proud?" Booth finished for her, tucking his face into her neck to kiss the skin just under her jaw.

Brennan laughed gently. "Aroused."

Booth laughed out loud then. He kissed his way up her neck, her jaw and finally her lips, once again kissing her deeply.

"Then I guess we'd better get home to finish this conversation, hm?"

Booth turned back in his seat and put the car back in gear to head towards the exit gate once again. As he finally pulled the car into midday traffic, Brennan reached over to gently rub circles, first over his knee, then moving up towards his lower thigh.

"Are you sure we can't use at least the lights just this once, Booth?" she teased.


	11. Chapter 11: Nuisance

_AN: This chapter ended up a little different than intended, but I hope you like. Again, feedback is welcome (read:highly encouraged). I really am trying to get better about posting more regularly, but with as the school year winds down, my schedule becomes more hectic. But reviews seem to rev my muse amazingly well. _

**Nuisance**

Brennan lifted blew her bangs up from her forehead for the seventh time in the past hour. It was the fourteenth of September and last she checked the temperature was quickly approaching 85 degrees. Cam swore the Lab's air conditioning was working effectively, but Brennan was not convinced.

"If Zach was here I could have him check the unit to confirm for me that it was operating and optimal levels of efficiency," Brennan muttered under her breath as she once again leaned over the examination table over the set of remains. She had decided to spend the day down in Bones Storage, hoping for cooler air there in the lower levels. Unfortunately, it seems the air flow was more restricted here since it was rarely used by the staff. She shook her head at herself. She knew better than to postulate based on circumstantial evidence.

Brennan wiped her forearm over her brow and breathed deeply. She felt a gentle kick against her abdomen. She rubbed gently over her swollen stomach. "I know," she whispered. "Just a little longer and we'll go home." She knew it was impossible to expect the fetus to understand her words, but she had grown accustomed to Booth speaking to their child as if it could, and now she too found herself speaking in one-sided conversations, especially when no one else was listening.

Brennan blew once more over her brow, moving the sweaty bangs and determinedly went to work on identifying the bones in front of her once again.

Booth walked down the stairs to Limbo. Angela had pointed him in the direction when he came in looking for Bones. He decided to leave work early and was going to do his best to convince her to do the same. It was too hot and sticky to work. It was the perfect summer day outside, even for the middle of September. Since they didn't have a case to work on solving, why should they miss out on some sun and fun?

He turned the corner and saw her, bent over the table over some remains. How was it possible she could look so gorgeous in that plain blue Jeffersonian lab coat? Hodgins wore the same one…Hell…Clark wore one and God knew neither of those two did anything to rev up Booth's sense of desire in any way, shape or form. But one look at Bones, her hair on a single ponytail, sweat on her forehead from the stuffiness of the room down here and the heat of the day, and all he could think about was taking her home and finding out what was under that coat.

"Bones!" He called out as he walked into the room.

Brennan looked up briefly as she held a femur in her hands. "Booth, what are you doing here so early? Do we have a case?"

"Nope, no murders today. I thought we'd leave early and go enjoy some sunshine." He walked over to the table and looked over her shoulder. Thankfully the bones down here weren't as gruesome as what they normally found in their crime scenes, but sometimes Booth still couldn't believe what Bones found to be relaxing ways to pass time at work.

"Booth…I'm busy...Besides, it's too hot to go and do anything."

"C'mon Bones. You're hot…you look tired. I bet Baby Bones already has been bugging you to take a rest. Let's go play hooky." He teased.

"Booth! I'm in the middle of assessing cause of death for these remains. I can't just stop in the middle-"

Booth reached over to slide a lock of hair behind her ear, tracing the skin carefully with his finger. "Yes, you can. This guy has been down here for a long time…and probably has been dead for 100 years longer. He's not going to know one way or the other. Besides, I just saw Cam and she said the air conditioner is on the fritz upstairs. She would prefer everyone takes an early day rather than stay and get overheated."

Brennan stopped working and looked at Booth, her head angled in exasperation. "I _told_ Cam there was something wrong with the operating output of that unit earlier today! She refused to admit there might be a concern!"

Booth smiled. "Yeah, well, you were right Bones. Now, c'mon. Let's get Skinny here back to his box and you home to a nice, cool apartment."

"Booth…no! I told you I need to finish this today! I'll be done in a few hours and then will go home. You are welcome to go ahead and play hook without me. I will call you when I am finished and see you then."

"It's 'hook-y',"muttered Booth. "Besides, it's never as fun having the afternoon off by yourself as having it with someone else. The whole point was to be able to spend time with you, Bones."

Brennan looked up again. She smiled. "That is very thoughtful, Booth, however, we have spent most of our extracurricular time with each other for the past few months. I don't think one afternoon of my working while you gallivant in the warm weather will make that much of a difference."

Booth sighed. He could tell there was not much chance of changing her mind. He pulled a chair over to one corner of the examination room and sank down into it, slouching slightly and tugging on his tie. "Fine Bones. I'll just sit here quietly and wait."

Brennan did not reply but kept working. She did notice him slink further into the chair. A few minutes later he sat up and started tapping his foot to some beat known only in his own mind. Tap tap tap tap-tap-tap…tap tap tap tap tap-tap...

"Booth…" she said quietly, warningly.

"Hmmm?" he answered distractedly, listening to the song in his head, his foot still keeping time to the beat. Tap tap tap-tap-tap… tap tap tap tap tap-tap…

Brennan's bangs fell again on her brow, sticking again to the damp, sweaty skin. She blew again forcefully up towards her forehead, trying to get the hair out of her way without having to change gloves yet again.

"Kind of warm down here today, isn't it Bones," Booth said, loosening his tie more, letting the ends hang in the collar.

"If the air conditioner is having difficulties it is reasonable to expect that all of the floors would be experiencing warmer than normal temperatures, with the exception of the autopsy room, and other temperature controlled areas, which operate on a generator system in times of distress."

"Yeah, I guess…" said Booth distractedly as he unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them just above his forearms. He sighed again and started tapping his hands on his thighs. Tap tap tap-tap-tap…tap-tap tap tap…

Brennan sighed herself. She rolled her shoulders and shook her head slightly trying to refocus. The baby kicked again against her abdominal wall. Brennan's inner arm rubbed against the area, trying to provide some pressure without stopping her inspection of the bones in front of her.

Tap tap tap-tap-tap…tap-tap tap tap…

"Booth…could you _please_ stop that? I am trying to concentrate."

"What? Stop what?"

"Tapping your hands against your leg. I find it very distracting and need to concentrate. Please?"

Booth looked down and realized what he was doing. "Oh, sorry Bones. I didn't even notice. Sure…sure…mum's the word."

Brennan looked up from her table then. "I don't see what your mother's moniker has to do with your nervous tick…all I am asking is that you try to be more aware that one of us is still trying to complete an occupational task and requires a more peaceful work environment."

Booth nodded. Now was not the time to try and educate Bones on yet another colloquialism. "Gotcha. I'll be more quiet Bones. Promise."

"Thank you."

Brennan again turned back to her table and walked around, trying to get a better view of the greater trochanter on the left side of the victim. She adjusted her focal lenses to get a slight magnification of the bone without using the electrical equipment, which at this point would only have increased the temperature in the room. She would mark any notes to return tomorrow and use the microscope of scanners to get more a better and more magnified view of the bones, hopefully once the HVAC malfunctions had been corrected.

"Ba ba ba ba da da dum…da da da dum…" Booth hummed quietly under his breath.

Brennan's head fell, her chin touching her clavicle. _Is he __**trying **__to force me to cause him personal injury?_ She wondered.

"Ba ba ba ba da da dum…da da da dum…"

"Booth!"

"What!"

"Can you please refrain from making noise? I really need to concentrate in order to complete my assessment and the tapping…the humming…in fact noise of _any _kind is extremely distracting and quite honestly distracting me from my goal."

Booth straightened up. "Well sorry, Bones. All I wanted was to spend some time with you. I'm sorry if I am such a distraction and a pain to have around. I guess I'll just go upstairs and wait in your office for you…if that isn't a hassle for you, that is." Without waiting for a response Booth picked up his jacket and walked abruptly out of the room. She heard the door to Bone storage slam shut as he entered the stairwell leading up to the main floor of the lab.

Brennan ripped off her gloves and used her hands to push back her hair. She sighed deeply. She hadn't meant to lose her temper. She wanted to try and complete this assessment to stay on track in case they were called in on another case this week.

She rubbed the back of her neck. The room was getting more humid. Her shirt was becoming more and more damp with sweat, sticking to her skin. She plucked her shirt and lab coat from her body, trying to fan herself cool.

She looked at the table of bones and then back again to the door leading out of the examination room. She knew she should finish her examination of the remains but she didn't want to allow the tension between her and Booth continue.

Brennan put on a new set of gloves and began the process of returning the bones to storage for the day. She had to take note of her findings and current hypotheses; the process took longer than she normally would take. Finally she was able to put the last bone in place and remove her gloves. She shut the door and entered the code to lock the room to prevent any contamination of remains or disturbing of her findings. She signed off the log on the door and marked the time on it as well on her own notes. She wiped her hand yet again across her brow and headed towards the stairwell.

Booth was laying on the couch, one leg propped on the cushions and the other still on the floor. He had thrown his jacket and dress shirt over the chair in front of Bones' desk. It was stifling hot in the lab and he couldn't handle the additional layers, especially in the mood he was in currently. He threw one arm over his forehead.

He knew he should have left Bones alone to finish her work. He had just been looking forward to spending the day with her and didn't want to leave her alone.

_That's a load of crap Seeley_. He thought to himself. _You thought if you were there within ear and eye shot she would eventually get tired of it and cave in to do things your way._ Which was crazy...when did Bones ever really cave? She did things her way and in her own time. If he was lucky, they coincided with his own wants and needs.

Booth head the door to Bones' office slide open. Footstep walked across the floor towards her desk. He looked from under his arm and saw the sensible flats of her shoes. _Well, at least she's out of the dungeon_, he thought to himself darkly. Now he had to wait to see if she would even speak to him after his childish tantrum.

Brennan walked past her desk to the coat tree, sliding her arms out of the lab coat and hanging it on a hook there. She turned around and looked at the large man sprawled out on her sofa. Anyone else might assume he was asleep, based on the deep, even breaths. But she noticed the tension in his platysma muscles and the slight shift in his forearm as she moved away from her desk, as if he was following her actions. More than likely, she hypothesized, he was watching her slyly, waiting to see what reaction she gave to his earlier outburst.

Brennan allowed a small smile to pass, then quickly swallowed it. No reason to let Booth know she was aware just yet. She walked around to her desk and started typing, awakening her computer from its hibernation mode. She checked her email and found a new alert from Cam, explaining the HVAC company would not be able to fix the malfunctions in the system until Thursday, so she was giving everyone an extra "comp" day. They were not to come in to the lab on Wednesday, so the available air and resources could be redirected to the more vital areas of the lab and the museum proper. Brennan took note and made a copy of the file she had made on the remains to add to her personal laptop at home. There was no reason why she could not look over her notes and try to get some work accomplished between now and Thursday. She could also try to work on her new novel. She was about three chapters behind schedule.

Brennan finished a reply to Cam acknowledging receipt of the message and her plans to work from home and closed her computer for the day. She looked up and saw Booth still laying in the same position. She narrowed her eyes, watching him carefully. She was sure he was awake and aware of her presence.

She decided to test her theory.

She walked over towards the sofa and sat on the coffee table in front of it. She reached out and stroked along the inside of his brachioradialis. She watched his face, looking for signs of his willingness to look at her and speak with her as she continued her soft strokes.

Booth had closed his eyes again as soon as he saw her start to head towards the sofa. He heard her sit on the table in front of him and then, surprisingly felt her warm touch on the inside of his forearm. She softly stroked the skin, from the inside of his elbow to his wrist then back again, patiently waiting for him to remove his arm from his face and focus his attention more obviously on her.

Booth finally moved his arm to the back of the sofa and watched her hand trail over his arm. She stopped and he lifted his eyes to meet her gaze.

"I'm sorry Booth," she said softly. "I realize you did not mean to distract me."

He shook his head slightly. "I should have tried to be quieter. I wasn't any better than Parker after he's had chocolate milk for breakfast and then I expect him to sit still for a two hour Service at Church. I'm the one who should apologize."

Brennan shook her head. "I was already hot and disagreeable when you came down to see me. I think Cam may have a good point about not working until the air conditioner is once again in good working order. It is too humid and hot to work under these conditions and expect everyone to maintain a healthy mental work environment, especially when one is more than five months pregnant."

Booth reached out to rub her belly. "Has Baby Bones been giving you problems today?"

"Moving around more and letting me know he or she does not enjoy being overheated anymore than their mother does." Bones moved to sit on the edge of the couch next to Booth. "Can we go home now? I find I am no longer in the mood to work…and all I really would like is to find a cool spot to rest for a while."

Booth sat up and leaned over to kiss her cheek. He stood up and reached down to offer a hand and help give her more leverage to stand as well. "Sure. All I really wanted was to spend some time with you."

Bones walked to get her purse and lab coat as Booth walked to her desk to pick up her laptop bag. They walked out of her office together, silently.


End file.
